WELLINGTON, Ohio — More Northeast Ohio communities are joining the debate over controversial, high-tech development. The Village of Wellington is the latest to temporarily ban data centers.
In a vote Monday evening, the village council approved a one-year moratorium, with the option to extend the ban for an additional year.
"You want to listen to your residents as much as possible and try to find common ground. And I just don’t think there’s a place for [data centers] out here,” said Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider.
The mayor explained many neighbors have expressed concern about data centers, as tech companies seek new space for the often sprawling facilities used to store, process and manage digital information.
News 5 previously shared that Ohio has become one of the top states for data centers, with more than 200 facilities ranging from small computing hubs to large, custom-built operations for Amazon, Google and Meta.
READ MORE: One Northeast Ohio community is welcoming a massive data center. Others are pushing back.
Schneider said Wellington doesn’t have enough open land to accommodate large-scale facilities, but he wanted to guard against smaller operations.
"We’re just being proactive,” he said. “If it has to come this way, how do we protect ourselves?”
Many neighbors told News 5 they support the moratorium.
"Everybody’s against it, everyone I’ve ever talked to about it,” said Jeff Kerr, who lives just outside the city limits.
Downtown Wellington resident Ayers Ratliff added, "When it gets built near you, then your property value can take a big plunge. And I would be very scared if I were the people up north of us, and that might happen to them.”
Schneider acknowledged Wellington’s conversation about data centers was prompted by events in nearby communities.
For months, neighbors in and around New Russia Township have been posting signs and making public comments in opposition to a so-called mega site. In summer 2025, Lorain County received a $67 million grant to prime the site for development.
County leaders have said the location is not meant for a data center specifically, but neighbors have strongly pushed back against any development that could displace farmland.
READ MORE: Opposition grows for Lorain County mega site
It’s a similar conversation happening elsewhere in Lorain County.
Though no plans have been announced thus far, an outside company’s purchase of several parcels in Brownhelm Township has sparked concerns over development.
Grafton leaders told News 5 they turned away several developers interested in building data centers after a community survey overwhelmingly rejected the option.
READ MORE: Amid 'mega site' debate, Grafton takes different approach to development
This week, Sheffield Village is holding a public meeting to discuss a new data warehouse ordinance.
Just over the Lorain-Erie county line, Vermilion Township recently approved its own data center moratorium.
Back in Wellington, neighbors said they value the village’s rural, small-town character and worry about how development could impact their lifestyle.
"I moved out here for a reason. I moved out here in the rural area in 1990 to get away from the city. Let’s keep it that way,” said Kerr.
The mayor said it’s unclear what the future holds for data centers and what effects they could have on the community’s health, safety and economy.
"[The moratorium] gives us time to see how these things start to develop and what course they run and then – what do we need to do on our end to either make them viable or not viable?” he said.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
