A proposed Amherst, Ohio, data center ran into trouble when city officials turned down a zoning-related request for the project.
The vote came after a crowded public hearing in which residents objected to turning three newer buildings on the Nordson campus into a data center.
What happened?
Within a day of a City Hall hearing that drew more than 100 attendees, Amherst's zoning board voted down a use-variance request from developer Cervenka Development Partners LLC, News 5 Cleveland reported.
Because Amherst's industrial zoning code does not specifically allow data centers, the proposal needed an exception from the city.
Cervenka, based in Illinois, has been weighing the purchase of three newer Nordson campus buildings and said their shared utilities and other existing infrastructure make them a strong fit for such a complex.
The board's written ruling said the case for an exception was not convincing.
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It also highlighted how recently the buildings were put up for sale, an argument board member John Jeffreys made at the hearing: "They haven't been on the market very long. … Nordson's a multibillion-dollar company. I'm sure they can keep them on the market for a while."
If it wants to challenge the outcome, Cervenka has 30 days to file an appeal in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.
Why does it matter?
The dispute reflects a much broader debate playing out across the country as data centers move into more communities.
While facilities that support cloud computing and AI tools can bring investment, they can also spark local concerns over noise, land use, electricity demand, and water consumption.
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With homes near the proposed location, neighbors said the development could disrupt everyday living.
Logan Dutro, an Amherst resident and IT systems administrator, told the board, "I wouldn't want to live anywhere within several miles of one of these things, quite frankly."
AI relies heavily on data centers, and those facilities can place enormous pressure on the electric grid while increasing demand for cooling water.
At the same time, AI can also help utilities forecast demand, integrate more renewable energy, and run cleaner, more efficient systems.
The tradeoffs include smarter grids as well as concerns about higher energy bills, resource strain, and security.
What's being done?
City leaders say they intend to rely on Amherst's current zoning code.
Mayor Mark Costilow said the city would defend that stance in court if necessary, and he said he does not support the project at this stage.
Some residents want the rules tightened further. At the hearing, Amherst resident Judy Heiser asked officials to change the zoning language so data centers would be more explicitly kept out of town.
Proposed data centers often hinge on zoning classifications, utility access, and community input long before construction begins.
"It's a small community, and we love how it is," Heiser said. "And we don't need data centers and noise. We just don't need it."
Costilow added, "The board has spoken. The people have spoken."
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