ANTHONY WAYNE – Lyn Cox opened up a folder and extracted several maps of the Anthony Wayne area, pointing out to other Waterville-area residents the tracts of land just beyond Mill Creek subdivision’s southern boundary.

“If I had known this was in the background, I wouldn’t have put an offer in on our house,” said Dan Nonnemacher, who is moving into Mill Creek. “I don’t want to come out of my subdivision and see a data center.”

When Cox obtained, through a public records request, maps and pitch decks created by the Lucas County Department of Economic Development (LCDED) to show areas that have the land and infrastructure for a potential data center, she got concerned. She began sharing copies of the documents on her newly created Facebook page AW-CRAP (AW-Area Community Response Awareness Group), fueling questions, opinions and speculation.

“I started the Facebook page so people know that the county is targeting 1,000 acres in the Waterville area. It fundamentally changes everything,” Cox said, noting that property owners are being approached with offers of $125,000 to $200,000 per acre. 

Last week, sitting around a picnic table with Nonnemacher, Cindy Celusta and Lisa Haberstock, Cox stated that the maps show not only potential building locations but the resources needed by a data center: a 36-inch Nexus gas transmission pipeline, electric transmission lines, water basins, proposed water and sewer lines, and a potential layout for energy centers near the Farnsworth Business Park on Waterville Monclova Road and along U.S. 24.

A data center’s potential impacts on water, electric rates, sound, lighting, vibrations and property values are among the group’s concerns.

“I’m pro-growth and pro-development. I’m anti-destroy-small-towns. What’s important to me is to preserve what is precious – what is special about small towns,” said Cox, who grew up in Waterville Township, moved away and returned for the small town charm. 

She’s been sharing information from residents in other communities who have written about the downside of data centers, and pressing for more information from those leading the data center charge locally.

“I want to better understand the repercussions. I need to know more. I’m not against data centers. I’m just against the output,” said Nonnemacher, adding that it might be possible for a smaller facility in a less-dense area to reap the economic benefits without disturbing the community.

He also noted that Gov. Mike DeWine is pushing for more economic growth, and that includes data centers where they make sense. If he were in charge, Nonnemacher said he would put together a plan and get the questions out to the public and be prepared to address concerns.

And that’s exactly what LCDED director Matt Heyrman has been working on – a town hall meeting with experts sharing data centers’ potential impacts on electric and water, for example, and to answer community members’ questions. The details on that meeting have not yet been announced.

Heyrman and his staff, along with Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), have been working with Lucas County leaders, developers, landowners and communities to attract centers that hold data for multinational corporations like Google, Chat GPT or Meta.

“We’re targeting larger companies because they will make a more significant investment. That leads to more valuation and potential revenue for our community,” he said.

Attracting a data center is part of an overall strategy to diversify the economy so the county isn’t so reliant on manufacturing and distribution, said RGP executive vice president Gary Thompson. RGP focuses on attracting new business and industry to a 17-county northwest Ohio region. He envisions a healthy mix of manufacturing, construction, agriculture and technology so the economy is on sound footing and communities are able to bring in enough revenue to provide services such as police and fire.

“There is no data center today. There is a lot of concern about a secret plot. That’s not true,” Heyrman said. “What we are trying to do, together as communities, is start a dialogue to see if this is something we want – if it’s viable.”

The packet obtained by Cox was not meant for public distribution, Heyrman said. It was created to pitch the idea to potential customers and to show areas where all of the boxes are checked, Heyrman said, referring to the core needs of available land, access to water and power, correct zoning and a willing community. 

“The packet is to show data center developers and users to gauge their interest in the region and show the potential,” Heyrman said. “We’re also working with communities about whether this could potentially happen. This is a community discussion…to find out if the community wants it and if the pros outweigh the cons. And then, if the data center wants us. The LCDED is the matchmaker – we match end users with communities that want them.”

Waterville Mayor Tim Pedro said he understands that the materials shared by Cox have alarmed some in the community, but that the LCDED had to start somewhere and put ideas on paper to move forward.

“These are just concepts. No one has come to the city with a plan to go through the zoning process. I think some folks got ahead of this and grabbed a nugget of information and ran with it,” he said.

As mayor, Pedro said he gets calls about all types of development opportunities, and these take time to flesh out, usually in confidence so potential developers don’t let their competitors know what they’re doing. 

Waterville City Council recently adopted language that would allow data centers in M-1 zoned properties, of which there are few sites with enough land for a data center. Nearby Waterville Township has more available land and recently changed its zoning to allow data centers in agriculturally-zoned land with a conditional use permit – mirroring the same process adopted by Monclova Township in March.

Waterville City Council member Wayne Wagner said he plans to ask council, during its Monday, Oct. 13 meeting, to repeal ordinance 7-2025 and to place a moratorium on data centers. Wagner questions why Pedro was having “closed door meetings” with Heyrman,  realtor Reichle Klein and others, without consulting with council.

“I am deeply concerned with the amount of overstepping we’re seeing from the LCDED. The LCDED is supposed to help cities achieve their economic development goals, not force feed unwanted development into our communities,” he said. “Waterville City Council has not asked for assistance in marketing our area for data center development.”

Pedro calls accusations that he’s being accused of negotiating deals behind the backs of residents as “hurtful” and untrue. During the Oct. 13 meeting, he plans to address those concerns. He also noted that council, and the community, would have several opportunities to weigh in if a data center development was proposed. That process includes a referral to the city’s planning commission and a recommendation to council, which would hold three separate readings and a public hearing.

“I would welcome factual debating then. Right now we don’t know what we’re debating because there’s no deal,” Pedro said.

Waterville Township trustee Julie Theroux shared that sentiment during the trustees’ Sept. 29 meeting, where she answered Haberstock’s question about data center development.

“As of right now, there is no real project we’re talking about,” Theroux said. “I’m happy that the residents are aware of it. We, as trustees, want to get their emails, letters and opinions. This would affect the lifestyles of a lot of people – it would change life forever.”

With just a few residents speaking in opposition during its August meeting, the board of trustees approved the addition of data centers to the township’s zoning code. They also agreed to hire, on retainer, a Columbus law firm that specializes in large developments to represent the township’s concerns in the event of a data center proposal.

Both Waterville Township and Monclova Township would require a potential data center developer to obtain a conditional use permit to build on agriculturally-zoned land. The permit process includes review by the county’s planning staff, recommendation by the county’s planning commission, and public hearings by the township.

“If we’re involved in the decision making, then we will have the usual process, and that involves the public,” said Monclova Township trustee Barbara Lang.

That “if” hinges on whether the land is in the township or Maumee. Since a Sept. 24 report by WTOL – a Toledo Free Press media partner – that an agreement between Mike White of Buckeye Real Estate Group and Steve Mitchell of Mitchell Development to purchase 95 acres between the Shops at Fallen Timbers and Black Road from Isaac Land Investments fell through, some mall-area property owners are nervous. Instead of single-family homes that have been planned for the area, the future for that property is now unknown. Isaac Land Development did not share plans for what’s next.

One Black Road property owner, who wished to remain anonymous, wondered whether ILI had plans to use that land, as well as nearly 200 acres west of Black Road, for a data center. The land on the east side of Black is nearly all Maumee, although the homes and a business – along with a 28-acre triangle of land at the corner of Black and the Wabash Cannonball Trail South Fork – are in Monclova Township.

The mall-area property is zoned C-N, which would allow a data center. Maumee law director Alan Lehnbauer said data centers have been listed as a permitted use in the city’s zoning code as far back as 2010. Unless a property owner is seeking incentives, the city would not need to hold a public hearing to allow a data center on that land. If a public meeting is held, a guest – meaning a non-Maumee resident – would be allowed three minutes to address council about concerns.

The city has not received a formal application or proposal for a data center, said city spokesperson Nancy Gagnet.

“The city is committed to the redevelopment of the Shops at Fallen Timbers. Our focus is squarely on creating lasting economic and community value for our residents,” she said.