Warren County OH 6-month data center moratorium (2026)
Warren County, OH — Board of Commissioners Unanimously Enacts Six-Month Moratorium on Data Center Development in County-Zoned Areas (September 2026)
Warren County, OH · Warren County, Ohio — Board of Commissioners six-month data center moratorium (Sept. 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Applies to
- Data center developers in county-zoned areas
- Enforced by
- Warren County Board of Commissioners; Building and Zoning Department
Warren County, Ohio commissioners unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center development in county-controlled (unincorporated) areas while local and state zoning codes are reviewed and while the county awaits a water impact study by the Ohio EPA and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments expected in November. At a September 22 work session the county's building and zoning director said the rural zoning code has no definitions or rules for large hyperscale facilities, and commissioners directed the prosecutor's office to draft a moratorium resolution. The county reported no pending data center requests in unincorporated areas.
Who is protected: Residents of unincorporated Warren County
Legal detail
Work session 2026-09-22: Director of Building and Zoning Ray Drafft briefed; rural zoning code lacks hyperscale definitions; three pathways outlined (BZA approval with use standards; administrative review plus BOCC hearings; a 'DC' zoning classification with rezoning and possible township referendums); board directed the prosecutor to draft a formal moratorium resolution with an advertised public hearing (Warren County Post). Enactment: unanimous six-month moratorium reported by the Journal-News on 2026-09-30; targets 'hyperscale data centers' of 10,000+ sq ft; applies in county-controlled areas; Clearcreek and Hamilton townships already have yearlong moratoria (see Clearcreek Township OH one-year data center permit moratorium (2026)). NOT ESTABLISHED: exact adoption date and resolution number (hence enacted_date/effective_date null); whether the public hearing preceded the vote; exact expiry. CAVEAT: the Warren County Post (Sept 23) said that once the prosecutor's draft resolution was ready the county would 'schedule and advertise a public hearing ... before any official restrictions are voted into place'; adoption within ~8 days is reported only by the Journal-News and has not been confirmed by commissioners' minutes or a second outlet.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Warren County, OH |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Citation | Warren County, Ohio — Board of Commissioners six-month data center moratorium (Sept. 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated in the located sources |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Warren County enacts 6-month moratorium on new data centers — Journal-News |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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