Voters in Sunbury, Ohio, will decide on 3 November whether to prohibit construction of data centres whose aggregate monthly demand or peak load exceeds 25 megawatts. The proposed charter amendment combines qualifying facilities on single, adjacent or otherwise aggregated parcels.[1][2]
Its wording counts energy from any source or combination, extending the threshold beyond electricity bought from the grid. The definition covers facilities used primarily for digital information services, including storage and processing, rather than singling out AI workloads.[1]
Construction includes buildings, infrastructure and related preparations or modifications. A yes vote would add the prohibition to the charter. The proposal describes the provision as self-executing.[1]
The vote follows a development pause
The council’s 15 April minutes record a unanimous vote for a moratorium through 31 January 2027. Residents at that meeting questioned the proposed development’s noise, electricity demand and water requirements.[3]
The economic proposal predates the ballot. In a February FAQ, the city said AWS had committed to at least $2 billion in capital investment and 50 full-time jobs for its planned campus. Those figures describe project commitments, rather than completed investment or jobs already delivered.[4]
The same FAQ said the land’s industrial zoning permitted a data centre, subject to applicable laws, while construction still depended on a development agreement and adequate power and water. That agreement would contain commitments to finance and build public infrastructure. The city identified a pump station, utility extensions, a water tank and a road among the requirements.[4]
Sources & further reading
- Proposed charter amendment: Exhibit A City of Sunbury · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Sunbury November ballot listing Ballotpedia · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- 15 April council minutes City of Sunbury · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Data centre development FAQ City of Sunbury · 24 Feb 2026 · Accessed 29 Oct 2026