Alliance Data Center Moratorium
Alliance City Council restricted future data centers to I-2 industrial zones (7-0, mid-June 2026), then passed an 18-month moratorium denying permits for 'AI data centers' citywide (5-1, July 6, 2026, Mastroianni dissenting). A Mastroianni/Cherry-led subcommittee is now researching conditional-use standards, with its first public workshop held Sept 1, 2026. Mayor Andy Grove has said at least one company has already expressed interest in bringing a data center to the city.
Developer
None named yet - Mayor Andy Grove has said at least one company has expressed interest, but no formal proposal or site has been publicly filed
Site
City of Alliance, Ohio (citywide zoning/regulatory action, not a single parcel or filed project)
Project type
City-initiated regulation (zoning restriction + moratorium), not a developer's proposed project - tracked here because it's the same kind of ongoing, multi-meeting local story a Project Dossier is built for, just city-driven instead of developer-driven
Stage
Active - 18-month moratorium in effect, subcommittee doing research toward eventual conditional-use standards
Last SCM verification
2026-09-06
Community Commitments
June public hearing turnout Verified
More than 110 residents attended a 'fiery, emotional' hearing at the Alliance Area Senior Center; at least 30 signed a petition that night
Source: Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository (via AOL) — 2026-06-16
Sole pro-development voice at June hearing Verified
Mark Fedor, CEO of Morgan Engineering, was the only speaker in favor - he called data centers "the backbone" of the digital economy while agreeing residents' concerns were legitimate and worth planning for
Source: Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository (via AOL) — 2026-06-16
Moratorium
Moratorium duration and scope Verified
Not to exceed 18 months; denies permits specifically for 'AI data centers' within city limits citywide
Source: Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository (via Yahoo) — 2026-07-07
Moratorium vote result Verified
5-1 in favor, approved at the July 6, 2026 council meeting. Councilman Phillip Mastroianni voted against it; Councilwoman Jennifer Kiko was absent.
Source: Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository (via Yahoo) — 2026-07-07
Not a unanimous vote - Mastroianni is on record saying moratoriums 'stifle economic growth,' despite co-leading the subcommittee this same legislation created.
Subcommittee
Cherry's stated rationale for 18 months Verified
Cherry said she'd support dropping the ban before 18 months if the research is done, but wants the full 18 months because "things come up in this administration and everything doesn't run like clockwork" and to "stand on my truth" once fully informed
Source: Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository (via Yahoo), direct quotes — 2026-07-07
First subcommittee workshop Not yet verified
Held September 1, 2026 at the Alliance Senior Citizens Center, beginning to divide research/information-gathering assignments across council committees; Council President Julie Jakmides said the city intends to set its own rules rather than react to a developer's
Source: —
Confirmed via web search summarizing local coverage, not independently fetched and read in full the way the two Canton Repository articles above were - flagged as not-verified per SCM's honesty framework until the original article/minutes are directly confirmed.
Subcommittee leadership and mandate Verified
Led by Councilman Phillip Mastroianni and Councilwoman Sheila Cherry; tasked with researching the industry and drafting conditional-use standards to add to the I-2 restriction
Source: Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository (via Yahoo) — 2026-07-07