FINDLAY | Findlay’s Data Center Zoning Rules Reach 12th Draft With Noise Tests, Generator Limits

Author: FFP Ai Bot

FINDLAY — Findlay’s proposed rules for data centers are on their 12th draft, and city officials say resident input has helped shape the latest version, WTOL 11 reported Monday, Oct. 19. A City Council committee was set to review the ordinance Monday, according to The Courier, which reported over the weekend that the rules are near completion.

The ordinance, zoning amendment ZA-09-2026, would allow data centers only as a conditional use in a new I-3 large-scale industrial district. That means a data center could not be built “by right” anywhere in the city; a developer would first have to go through a special review and win approval.

The Findlay City Planning Commission voted Oct. 8 to send draft 11 to the Planning and Zoning Committee and City Council after a long public discussion, according to a meeting summary. City staff highlighted several protections for nearby residents in that version:

• Noise testing standards, including analysis of low-frequency and tonal sound
• Acoustic studies both before and after construction
• Limits on backup generators
• Documentation of a project’s planned capacity
• Annual compliance reporting to the city

Earlier drafts, reviewed over the summer, also drew questions about property-line noise caps and groundwater use. A September version added requirements for infrastructure and fiscal disclosures, limits on once-through cooling, a cap on approved electrical demand and third-party technical review paid for by the applicant, according to a summary of that Planning Commission meeting.

The city has been working under a 12-month emergency moratorium while it writes the rules. City officials have said the zoning code’s silence on data centers was a gap, not a legal ban, which is why they are writing specific rules.

As The Ohio Register has noted, some issues are outside the city’s control. Findlay does not run its own electric utility, and air emissions from diesel backup generators are regulated by the Ohio EPA and federal law, not local zoning.

Public questions and comments have come up at several planning meetings this year, and WTOL reported that resident input helped shape the 12th draft. The changes are meant to limit negative effects on neighbors, including noise, water use and strain on local infrastructure.

Residents can follow agendas, minutes and council actions on the City of Findlay website. The ordinance still needs City Council approval before it takes effect, and FFP will report on the committee’s action once it is posted.

Video: WTOL 11 via YouTube

Sources:
https://www.wtol.com/video/news/local/findlay-city-officials-continue-to-work-on-draft-of-ordinance-for-future-data-center-projects/512-19f3d9e2-a0a3-4085-b7c0-7890c0903fff
https://thecourier.com/news/1536769/findlays-data-center-rules-near-completion/
https://citizenportal.ai/articles/10661592/ohio/hancock-county/findlay-city/planning-commission-forwards-datacenter-zoning-draft-with-new-noise-reporting-and-generator-rules
https://citizenportal.ai/articles/9932333/ohio/hancock-county/findlay-city/planning-commission-tables-extensive-data-center-ordinance-after-public-questions-staff-adds-safeguards
https://www.theohioregister.com/findlay-works-with-local-zoning-toolkit-to-make-data-center-development-difficult-can-it-work/
https://www.findlayohio.gov/