Setting the Record Straight About Data Centers in Twinsburg

Over the past several Council meetings, residents have voiced concerns about the possibility of large AI data centers coming to Twinsburg. We welcome public engagement; it is part of what makes our community strong.

However, some of the claims being circulated reflect selective interpretations and significant mischaracterizations of what has actually occurred. To ensure the information shared is accurate and complete, the City took time to review records and consult with the appropriate departments before responding. We believe our residents deserve a complete and factual explanation.

Let’s set the record straight.

No.

Twinsburg’s zoning code does not list large AI or “hyper-scale” data centers as a permitted use.

Last fall, a private property owner submitted a “similar use” application for an industrial parcel. Importantly:

• The owner did not have an active plan to construct a data center.
• The request was to allow the property to be marketed for that potential use.
• Under our laws, property owners are legally entitled to apply for similar use determinations.

If the City were to refuse to hear an application altogether, we would expose taxpayers to significant litigation risk. Following established process is not advocacy, it is responsible governance.

The process worked exactly as designed.

• The Planning Commission reviewed the application (they are advisory only).
• The Commission cannot approve similar-use applications, they only make recommendations to Council.
• City Council had questions and sent the matter back to Planning for additional clarification.
• Before any further action occurred, the applicant withdrew the request.

There is currently:

• No application
• No proposal
• No pending approval
• No data center coming to Twinsburg

Any narrative suggesting imminent development is simply not supported by the facts.

Comparisons to Ashburn, Virginia

Some commentary has compared Twinsburg to Ashburn, one of the largest concentrations of hyperscale data centers in the world.

That comparison is dramatically out of context.

• Data centers are not permitted in Twinsburg’s zoning code as a primary use.
• Our industrial land is largely built out.
• No member of City Administration or Council is advocating to change the zoning code to allow large AI data centers.

Using an extreme national example to suggest a local crisis is misleading and unnecessarily alarming.

The building at 2000 Highland Road, commonly referred to as the Verizon facility, has also been cited in recent meetings. Here are the facts:

Was it built “under cover of darkness”?

No.

• The 80,000 square foot addition was reviewed publicly through the required development process:
• The Planning Commission reviewed the site plan at two meetings in 2009.
• A Conditional Use Permit hearing was held.
• City Council received the Planning Commission’s recommendations.
• This was a documented, public process conducted in accordance with the City’s zoning and development procedures.

Was it illegal or outside the zoning code?

No.

• To understand why the expansion was permitted, it is important to clarify a basic zoning concept: primary (principal) use vs. ancillary (accessory) use.
• A primary use is the main function of a property — the reason the building exists. For example, a home in a residential district or a manufacturing plant in an industrial district. The primary use defines the site.
• An ancillary use is secondary. It supports the primary use and does not stand on its own. In simple terms, the primary use is the main engine; the ancillary use is a supporting component.

At the time of application:

86,800 square feet of office space already existed at Verizon’s regional telecommunications headquarters.

An 80,000 square foot addition was proposed.

Approximately 50,000 square feet of that addition was dedicated to data-related space.

After the addition, the total building size was approximately 166,600 square feet, meaning the data-related space represented roughly 30% of the total facility, leaving 70% non-data (office, telecom operations, support, mechanical, etc.)

By contrast, large hyperscale AI data centers that are often referenced nationally are facilities where nearly 100% of the building is dedicated to data operations, with no other primary use occurring on site outside of the data center.

In plain language:

The Verizon site was, and remains a regional telecommunications headquarters as its primary use. The data component supports Verizon’s network operations. It was not approved as a new, standalone hyperscale AI data center.

That distinction matters.

The facility was reviewed and classified as an expansion of an existing telecommunications operation, with supporting infrastructure necessary for that operation.

There are:

No zoning violations

No building code violations

No fire code violations

Does it use 243,000 gallons of water per day?

There is no publicly verified evidence supporting that claim — and it would be impossible for a private individual to know the specific daily water usage of a private commercial facility.

The water usage figures being cited appear to reference large hyperscale AI facilities in other states. Those comparisons do not reflect the operational profile of the telecommunications infrastructure facility on Highland Road.

What we can state with certainty:

The facility has been operating for more than 15 years.

There has been no documented strain on the City’s wastewater treatment plant attributable to this site.

Additionally, the expansion included modern infrastructure upgrades, including cooling chillers and cooling towers designed to improve efficiency and minimize water usage as part of the publicly reviewed site improvements.

Assertions that the facility is draining local water resources or overwhelming City infrastructure are not supported by operational history or data.

Does it only employ “a handful of people”?

No.

The City approved tax abatements based on 152 jobs at the facility, and current payroll reporting confirms that the facility continues to be a significant contributor to the City’s local tax revenues.

Additional facts about the Verizon Building:

LEED Gold environmental certification

Valued at $16,625,400 (Summit County Auditor)

Pays approximately $365,090 annually in property taxes

Approximately $260,900 annually supports Twinsburg City Schools

This is not an abandoned warehouse. It is a long-standing telecommunications and IT infrastructure facility that contributes to our tax base, schools, and local economy.

No.

Large AI data centers raise legitimate questions nationally, including water use, electric demand, and noise. Those are real considerations in communities where such uses are proposed.

But in Twinsburg:

• There is no active proposal.
• There is no pending vote.
• There is no advocacy by City leadership.
• There is no zoning allowance.

The narrative of imminent crisis is not grounded in current reality.

Why Does the City Hear Similar Use Applications at All?

Because we are governed by law.

Our first priority is the well-being of residents. At the same time, we must treat property owners and businesses fairly under the Charter and zoning code.

Hearing an application is not endorsement.
Following process is not secrecy.
Public review is not a conspiracy.

UPDATE: MARCH 12, 2026
At the March 10 Council meeting, a couple of residents raised thoughtful follow-up questions and asked City officials for clarification. The City is grateful for residents who stay engaged, ask questions, and share their concerns. We welcome that input and are committed to providing clear, thorough responses. Below is a summary of those questions and answers.

We currently have no applications, no proposals, no pending approval for data centers in the works. Is that correct?

Yes, that is correct.

Did we ask ZoneCo their opinion on data centers? / Do we know why their code doesn’t address them? Did data centers ever come up in those meetings? If so, can you tell us what was discussed?

No. Data centers were not specifically discussed during meetings with ZoneCo or during the zoning code update process.

The reason is that the zoning code update was not intended to identify and debate every possible individual use that might someday seek to locate in Twinsburg. Its primary purpose was to modernize the structure of the code, improve clarity, and organize permitted, conditional, and accessory uses into a more user-friendly format. ZoneCo helped convert the City’s older zoning language into comprehensive use charts, but those charts still follow the same basic rule: a use must be specifically listed in order to be allowed.

Data centers were simply not identified as a use to be added or addressed during that process. That was not unusual. The working group also did not specifically analyze many other highly specialized or emerging industrial uses, because the goal was not to predict every possible future industry. Instead, the update focused on making the code easier to understand and apply, while preserving the long-standing principle that unlisted uses are not permitted.

In other words, data centers were not omitted because they were overlooked for approval. They were not discussed because they were not an active issue at the time, and the zoning update was focused on code modernization rather than trying to account for every possible future use.

Again, if an emerging or specialized use is not specifically listed in the zoning code, it is not permitted. For that reason, the fact that a particular use was not named in the updated code should not be viewed as a deficiency. In many cases, that omission is exactly what prevents a new or unanticipated use from being allowed unless and until the City chooses to consider it through a public process. Indeed, Section 1108.03(a), Prohibited Uses: provides that, “ Any use not expressly set forth and defined in this Code shall be deemed to be prohibited.”

Would council be opposed to putting this on the November ballot and letting the residents vote on it?

At this time, Council is not pursuing a ballot issue regarding data centers.

The most important point is that data centers are not currently a listed permitted use under Twinsburg’s zoning code, and, as was stated during the March 10 caucus meeting, there are no current applications, proposals, or pending approvals for data centers.

It is also important to note that the process already worked the way it is supposed to work. In August 2025, a property owner asked the Planning Commission to treat a data center as a similar use and to amend the code to allow it as conditionally permitted use in the I-M Zone. When that matter reached Council, Council did not approve it. Instead, on October 14, 2025, Council unanimously sent the similar-use resolution back to the Planning Commission for further clarification, and the applicant canceled their application for a similar use designation.

In short, at this point, it is neither practical nor fiscally responsible to place every issue of concern on the ballot when the City’s existing zoning laws already address the matter. If a future proposal were submitted that required a zoning change or Charter-required ballot action, that process would occur publicly, with notice, hearings, and opportunity for resident input.

A Note on Public Discourse

Healthy debate is welcome in Twinsburg. We encourage residents to ask questions and stay informed.

However, exaggerations that suggest secret approvals, illegal construction, or imminent threats, when none exist, distract from the many positive initiatives underway in our community. At times, public issues can become amplified during election cycles. We remain focused not on politics, but on responsible governance and factual communication.

We are confident that when facts are fully presented, our residents can see the process for what it is: transparent, lawful, and measured.

Twinsburg continues to be a community built on thoughtful planning, strong businesses, excellent schools, and engaged residents.

We remain committed to keeping it that way.

We understand that residents may occasionally hear something that raises questions or even causes a moment of disbelief. In those situations, we encourage you to reach out to the City for clarification rather than relying solely on social media posts or public commentary, which are protected by the First Amendment but often reflect personal opinions or incomplete information. You do not need to file a formal public records request to ask a question. Residents are welcome to visit TogetherTwinsburg.com to review City responses or submit their own questions. You may also contact the Mayor’s Office directly at (330) 963-6207 or email communications@twinsburg.oh.us

Thank you for staying engaged and helping us keep Twinsburg informed and connected.