OML, along with its partners at The Montrose Group, will host a members-only webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 11 a.m. to noon, focused on data centers and the opportunities and challenges they present for Ohio municipalities.
As data center development continues to expand across the state, the webinar will provide local elected officials and municipal staff with practical guidance on how communities can position themselves to realize meaningful benefits from these projects. Economic development Nate Green, from The Montrose Group, will discuss key tools available to municipalities, including tax considerations, developer agreements, new community authorities, and payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs).
The session will also feature Merle Madrid, from Amazon Web Services, who will offer insight from the perspective of a data center developer and discuss how developers and local governments often collaborate throughout the siting, development, and operational phases of these projects.
The webinar comes at a timely moment, as House Bill 646 was recently introduced by Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Rep. Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk). The legislation would establish a Data Center Study Commission at the state level to examine the impacts of data centers and potential policy considerations related to their growth in Ohio.
Whether a community already hosts a data center, is actively reviewing a proposal, or anticipates one in the future, this webinar will serve as both a helpful refresher and a strong foundation for informed local decision-making.
Registration information has been shared directly through email with OML members,