Community Consent Amendment

Director of ACT Ohio (building trades) called the CCA the most anti-development, job-killing proposal he'd seen in 30 years, warning it would eliminate construction jobs for members who live in Grove City.

Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce president said the chamber's board cannot support the CCA, citing uncertainty for development, and encouraged residents to vote no.

One Columbus/Columbus Partnership economic development chief warned the amendment would take Grove City out of the running for major employers, costing jobs, investment, and tax revenue for services.

Columbus Chamber VP of government relations said the referendum-plus-penalty model creates regional uncertainty and could fragment Central Ohio's predictable investment climate.

Longtime resident and construction executive urged decisions based on facts rather than slogans, citing Grove City's hard-won progress past the 'Grove Tucky' label.

Central Ohio AGC public affairs manager cited St. Pete Beach, Florida and San Bruno, California as failed voter-approval experiments, saying the CCA is broader and would even hit hospitals, schools, and churches.

The only resident supporter of the CCA to speak, she criticized council's lack of communication, praised the negotiators, and said the CCA is a bare minimum and the moratorium should be extended.

BIA of Central Ohio representative said the amendment would have a chilling effect on homebuilding for future Grove City families.

The America Nitral CEO — 300 employees a mile away, several hundred million invested — said residents are being duped; the amendment would force referendum campaigns over routine expansions like a 10% water increase.

A four-year resident who posts viral videos on the issue said the amendment will be on the ballot one way or another and he'll vote yes — he simply doesn't want a data center down the road.

Used her time to thank the Law Director and Council Member Omar for inviting the petition group to the table.

Former city legal counsel warned the amendment would drive developers to Columbus or Commercial Point, eventually encircling Grove City and killing the 2050 plan.

A business owner of 40+ years said the amendment's restrictions and penalties would inhibit growth for new and existing businesses, hurting schools, parks and safety funding.

A 70-year resident and business owner argued the amendment goes far beyond data centers — its 50-acre, 200-megawatt and water triggers could have blocked the Pinnacle, Beulah Park and Mount Carmel — and urged letting the task force finish its work.

The chamber president said the board has researched carefully and would announce its final position after its meeting the next morning.

Recounted the 2023 Smart Citizens Data rejection and warned that new developers — Green Data Hub LLC and Grid Growth Ventures — have already contacted her family's farm, making the CCA more critical than ever.

Explained the CCA deliberately avoids naming data centers to avoid exclusionary-zoning lawsuits, citing litigation in Urbana, Ohio; Egan, Minnesota; and Hill County, Texas as proof that layered regulations work better than bans.