A group of homeowners in Clinton County, Ohio, is challenging the development of a proposed $4 billion Amazon data center in Wilmington. The lawsuit, now moved to federal court, seeks to block the project, arguing that the City of Wilmington failed to properly notify the public and allow for sufficient community input before passing ordinances that facilitate the project.
Community Concerns
The residents, led by Jessica and Logan Sharp, claim that the city violated their due process rights by quietly passing ordinances that rezone nearly 472 acres known as Cosler Farm and exempt emergency generators from certain noise restrictions. They argue that these actions were taken without adequate public notice and participation, as required by law.
Jessica Sharp emphasized the importance of transparency in government actions, stating, “The public has a right to know what business their government is doing on their behalf and in order to participate, they must be informed.”
City’s Defense
Attorneys representing the City of Wilmington dispute these claims, asserting that the ordinances were legally approved after notices were published in a local newspaper, letters were mailed to residents, and public hearings were held. They argue that the lawsuit is unlikely to succeed and warn that delaying the project could harm Wilmington’s economic development prospects.
“Enjoining these ordinances not only threatens the economic development prospects of the City, but also further risks public health and safety by placing unnecessary limitations on the operations of power generators during emergent conditions,” city attorneys wrote in court filings.
Potential Impact
Residents opposing the project express concerns about noise, diesel emissions, increased power demand, water usage, and potential declines in nearby property values. They highlight the low frequency noise from cooling infrastructure and air pollution from diesel generators as specific issues.
The city argues that the data center could bring significant economic development and critical digital infrastructure to Wilmington, supporting industries such as banking, healthcare, and emergency services.
A federal judge has temporarily barred the city from moving forward with the project until a hearing scheduled for June 16 at the federal courthouse in Cincinnati.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
