Cinci CC Pumps Brakes On Data Center Approval
BY NICK ROGERS
CINCINNATI - On February 11, 2026, the Cincinnati City Council voted to unanimously institute an Interim Development Control Overlay (IDC) on approvals for new data centers there; essentially pressing pause until further studies into the sites’ impacts have been conducted. The initial IDC, which lasted only three months, was extended another nine, as council members have continued to voice concerns over rising energy costs and possible health impacts on residents that could be brought about by the AI behemoths.
“They can still get it approved, so they’ll go through planning, but it’s not by right that they can move forward with it,” said councilman Mark Jeffreys.
Jeffreys pointed out that, as of now, there are no zoning definitions for data centers. “It’s classified as an office or warehouse,” he said. “We want to make sure that we’re deliberate about where they’re allowed; where there might be other restrictions.”
When asked if there were any new data centers planned for Cincinnati, Jeffreys said no. “As far as we know, there aren’t any current plans, but that’s all the more reason to get out ahead of it and just be very deliberate about how we’re thinking about data centers,” he said.
Data centers, which us immense amounts of electricity (and water for cooling), have been wooed to Ohio through massive tax incentives, though Gov. DeWine recently put a temporary halt on these tax breaks amidst growing public outcry.
The first concern voiced by Cincinnati’s City Council was that of the projection of skyrocketing energy costs as data centers continue to put strain on an already tenuous electrical grid. Utility overcharging has already established itself as a huge problem for Ohioans.
“These data centers and the advancement of AI and a few other technologies have really boosted demand for these exorbitant energy bills,” councilman Ryan James said.
The mayor, Aftab Pureval, agreed. Before the council’s unanimous vote to implement the IDC, the mayor’s office issued a statement: “This measure is about making sure our city is prepared for a growing industry and its potential impacts. Cities around the country, including Cincinnati, have been dealing with rapidly rising energy costs. And the data centers pose the risk of exacerbating those challenges.”
City Planner Sophia Ferries-Rowe says a zoning study has begun.
“The first purpose of the zoning study is to define ‘data center’ in the Cincinnati zoning code, because there is currently no explicit definition of data centers,” she said. “There is no consistent way to review data centers that seek permits for construction or expansion within the city.” Ferries-Rowe said the study should yield clear policy recommendations moving forward.
A study would hopefully shed light on several logistical issues posed by data centers on a case-by-case basis; factors including “neighborhood compatibility” and any “adverse effects on access to the property by public services, traffic conditions, sonic impacts, air quality, etc.”
Beyond grid instability and growing energy bills, the Council highlighted rising concerns over health impacts posed by data centers. These effects are wide-ranging, including the above-mentioned air pollution, “dirty electricity,” the creation of “forever chemicals (PFAS),” electromagnetic frequency (EMF) emission, noise pollution, massive water consumption (and contamination), thermal temperature rise, fire risk due to large numbers of lithium ion batteries, increased flood risk, increased utilization of nuclear power to run the centers, and more.
Data center pushback from rural Ohioans has been ongoing but, as councilman Jeffreys points out, data centers in cities is a different kettle of fish.
“Obviously, there are different concerns; taking up farmland, etc.,” he said. “That’s not our concern here. It’s mostly about impact on quality of life in our neighborhood and in our city.”
Whether or not the IDC will ultimately deter data center development in Cincinnati (or simply slow the approval process) is yet to be seen. For now, it’s encouraging to see local government officials taking the risks seriously.
