CCRRD starts referendum effort over Wilmington ordinances

What the council approved

Clinton County Residents for Responsible Development is circulating petitions in response to two ordinances Wilmington City Council passed Sept. 3 concerning a proposed Amazon Web Services data center.

One ordinance makes data centers a permitted use in Wilmington’s light industrial and general industrial zoning districts. The other rezones the proposed project site, known as the Cosler Farm property at 1488 South U.S. 68, as light industrial.

Council passed both ordinances with emergency provisions. Under Ohio law, municipal ordinances generally may be challenged through a referendum, which lets voters decide whether an ordinance should remain in effect. Qualifying emergency ordinances can take effect immediately and are not subject to the usual referendum process.

A Wilmington resident has filed a lawsuit contesting the city’s use of the emergency provisions. The case asks whether the two ordinances were properly enacted as emergency measures. A successful challenge could clear the way for the referendum effort to proceed.

Petition rules and deadline

The 30-day period for filing referendum petitions began when the council passed the ordinances. CCRRD plans to circulate petitions for both measures through Sept. 30 while the lawsuit is pending.

Organizers say each referendum needs 1,122 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. The group’s collection goal is 1,400 signatures to account for any signatures that are rejected.

Petition signers must be eligible electors living within Wilmington’s municipal limits. Petition circulators may live anywhere in Ohio.

These referendum petitions became available Sept. 4. Signatures placed on other data center petitions before that date do not count toward this effort. CCRRD is posting signing opportunities on the events section of its Facebook page and directing interested participants to Brenda Shobe at 614-356-9616 or Laura Struve at 937-527-9117.