Construction of Project Mila data center campus in Ohio has moved closer as the Trenton commission approved its site plans. The proposed data center in Butler County received site plan review approval, moving it closer to start of major construction. Trenton City Planning Commissioners voted unanimously on Monday to approve Prologis’ site plan for the 880,000-square-foot development.

“When viewed as a whole, the proposed development meets or exceeds the applicable zoning requirements across all major site components. These include layout, circulation, parking, lighting, landscaping, signage, and also performance standards,” said Planning and Zoning Administrator Randy Bridge.

Moreover, he noted more technical components of the project such as stormwater management systems, are still under review. The planning commissioners asked Bridge no questions before taking their vote. Despite the unanimous voting, there are still setbacks that may impede the project. Various companies across the United States such as the Anthropic data center campus in Ohio which has received backing from Google.

Setbacks Facing the Project Mila Data Center Campus in Ohio

The implementation of the Project Mila data center campus in Ohio is not one that all those residing in Trenton embrace. Despite the commission’s unanimous voting, residents are still dissatisfied with the greenlight awarded. Once complete, the data center is expected to be one of the biggest in Greater Cincinnati. It would include four buildings and an electrical substation on more than 140 acres of land in Trenton industrial park.

Furthermore, it is projected to created approximately 140 jobs. However, many residents expressed frustration when the meeting concluded after 10 minutes and did not include time for public comment in the agenda. “It’s like they don’t care about what’s going on with us or within parks or within [the] city or [with] citizens,” noted one resident.

“It’s really upsetting.” According to acoustical analysis submitted by Prologis as part of the site plan review, all projected sound levels remain below the allowable nighttime limits. These are the most restrictive standards in the city’s zoning code. People in Trenton are not the only ones pushing back on data center developments. A group of rural Ohioans is proposing a constitutional amendment to ban huge AI data centers in the state.

Project Factsheet

• Project Name: Project Mila
• Project Type: Data center campus
• Size: ~880,000 sq. ft.
• Purpose: Large-scale data infrastructure

Key Stakeholders

• Developer: Prologis
• Approving Authority: Trenton Planning Commission
• Planning Official: Randy Bridge

Location

• Site: Trenton, Butler County, Ohio
• Region: Greater Cincinnati
• Country: United States
• Land Size: 140+ acres

Scope

• Four data center buildings
• On-site electrical substation
• Industrial park development
• Supporting infrastructure

Funding / Delivery Model

• Privately developed by Prologis
• Phased construction approach

Status

• Stage: Pre-construction
• Approval: Site plan approved
• Next: Final technical reviews, construction start

Risks & Challenges

• Local community opposition
• Pending technical reviews (e.g. stormwater)
• Regulatory/environmental scrutiny
• Broader anti-data center sentiment

Strategic Significance

• Major addition to Ohio data capacity
• Boosts Greater Cincinnati tech infrastructure
• Creates ~140 jobs
• Reflects rising resistance to AI data centers