Grove City, Ohio, voters will decide next Tuesday whether certain large developments should require public approval under Issue 28. Known as the Community Consent Amendment, the proposal has divided residents advocating for more control over development and opponents concerned about its effects on growth and existing institutions.
The amendment would require a public vote for a development exceeding 50 acres, drawing 20 megawatts of electricity or consuming 500,000 gallons of water daily. Qualifying projects would also need at least two public hearings, impact studies and quarterly reports. The business would pay the costs of those requirements.
Protect Grove City, the resident group that drafted the amendment and collected enough signatures to place it on the ballot, says major industrial projects warrant greater public involvement. Jen Belt, a member of the group, linked the effort to a proposed 310-acre data center in the Grove City area that preceded the city's moratorium on data center development. She said the amendment also addresses other large industrial businesses that might seek to locate in the community.
Save Grove City opposes the proposal, arguing that its thresholds and reporting obligations could reach beyond data centers. Patrick Castro of the group said the measure could harm both business and residential development. He argued that the limits were too low and that a proposal with different standards would present voters with a different choice.
Businesses already operating above any of the three thresholds would be grandfathered in, but would still have to comply with community impact standards governing noise, light and vibration at the nearest property line. Failure to meet those standards could bring daily fines ranging from $25,000 to $500,000. An existing business already above a threshold would also need a vote for an expansion increasing its acreage, water consumption or energy use by 10%, with that expansion handled as a new application.
Castro identified Mount Carmel and South-Western City Schools among the places he said meet the thresholds. He questioned how the standards might affect activities such as school band performances, crowds in stadium stands and helicopter landings at Mount Carmel. His concerns centered on whether institutions already operating in Grove City would have to change their practices if the amendment passes.
Belt said case law shields schools from unnecessary zoning restrictions and that the city's law director has discretion in decision-making. She also defended requiring voter approval for major expansions, including at the hospital, which she described as already occupying more than 60 acres. Belt acknowledged that some businesses could be affected, while arguing that opponents were underestimating residents' ability to understand the decisions put before them.
The Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce has urged a no vote, saying the amendment could create uncertainty around development, investment and business expansion. While supporting resident input and responsible growth, the chamber said existing planning, zoning and public hearing procedures offer an appropriate way to evaluate proposals. It also warned of greater regulatory complexity and reduced flexibility to pursue future opportunities. Grove City Council has separately adopted a resolution opposing the amendment.
