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Why is Sunbury Having this Conversation?

The Development
Sunbury began working toward development of a new Limited Industrial district and Business and Technology Park before the proposed Amazon campus became widely known publicly.

Public records released by the city show discussions surrounding the Limited Industrial zoning district occurred in 2023, with the zoning later approved in November 2023. The district explicitly included "data center" as a permitted use. 

In November 2024, Sunbury publicly announced that City Council had approved an economic-development incentive for Amazon Data Services to establish a proposed $2 billion data-center campus. 

While no official plans have been released or approved at this point in time, Amazon released preliminary designs at their Open House that included 10 data center buildings on a portion of the acreage.

 

The Public Debate
By early 2026, the proposal was drawing substantial public attention.

Residents raised questions about:

  • Electricity demand

  • Land use and proximity to homes

  • Water and wastewater

  • Noise

  • Building height and setbacks

  • Traffic and construction

  • Tax incentives

  • Jobs and economic benefits

  • Transparency

  • Long-term infrastructure needs

  • Local decision-making


Those concerns don't all have simple answers—and different residents and officials have reached different conclusions about them.

The Moratorium
On April 15, 2026, Sunbury City Council unanimously adopted a temporary moratorium through January 31, 2027, on establishment and development of data centers while the city reviews applicable laws and regulations. 

Importantly, the moratorium and Charter Amendment are not the same thing.

The moratorium is temporary.

The Charter Amendment asks voters whether the proposed restriction should become part of Sunbury's Charter.

Digging Into the Proposal
The 25-Megawatt Threshold

Why use electricity demand?
Large data centers can vary dramatically in scale. The proposed amendment uses power demand as a way of distinguishing facilities covered by the prohibition from smaller facilities.

Who Would Be Affected?
The direct legal effect applies within the City of Sunbury.

It does not amend the zoning codes of Genoa Township, Berkshire Township, Galena, Delaware County or other neighboring jurisdictions.

Does the Amendment Cost Taxpayers Money?
The amendment itself does not appropriate money or establish a tax.

However, broader fiscal questions—including foregone potential revenue, infrastructure costs, economic incentives and potential litigation—are separate questions that should be evaluated using documented financial information.

Potential Benefits and Tradeoffs
Questions Voters May Want to Consider:

  • Development: What types and scales of industrial development are appropriate for Sunbury?

  • Economic impact: What tax revenue, investment and employment could large data centers generate?

  • Infrastructure: What electricity, water, wastewater and transportation infrastructure could be required?

  • Neighboring properties: Are existing setback, noise, height and buffering regulations adequate?

  • Flexibility: What are the implications of putting this restriction in the Charter rather than addressing data centers through zoning?

  • Existing rights: How could previously granted development rights interact with a newly adopted Charter provision?

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