DARKE COUNTY — The Twin Township Zoning Commission voted to approve a proposed definition and regulatory framework for data centers in Darke County.
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Commission members described the vote as an initial step toward establishing formal oversight for potential facility developments in the area.
More than 50 residents attended the meeting to address questions regarding data centers and township planning.
The proposed regulation document spans nine pages and outlines specific guidelines covering facility size, operational capacity, noise levels, water usage, and electrical power supply requirements.
Curt Lambert, the zoning inspector for Twin Township, answered questions from local community members for approximately an hour prior to the vote.
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Despite the attendance, no residents spoke during the official public comment period before the commission voted to approve the measure.
Twin Township resident Tracy Lauric attended the meeting to seek clarity regarding how decisions about data centers are being made.
Lauric expressed concern over potential financial and physical impacts on property owners in the area.
“It could impact our property values, it could impact health and it just doesn’t seem like the people who are making the decisions really have the answer,” Lauric said.
She also noted apprehension following the commission’s vote.
“That concerns me, considering they just passed something that they really couldn’t answered all the questions,” Lauric said.
Questions were also raised regarding jurisdiction and local authority, specifically concerning the nearby Village of Arcanum.
The Twin Township Zoning Commission stated that the village must complete its own separate process for data center regulations.
Lauric described feeling confused by differing information provided across municipal jurisdictions.
“There is the city portion of this where you get a different story and then you come here and get a different story. So nothing is really adding up,” Lauric said. “That’s my big hope is that in all of this they can come together and that this plan protects us because this is huge for this community.”
The proposed data center regulations now move to the Twin Township Trustees for approval.
The trustees are scheduled to vote on the regulations at their upcoming Monday meeting.
If the trustees vote to approve the proposed regulations, a 30-day waiting period must pass before a moratorium can be considered.
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