Issue 17 passed in Trenton, but unknowns linger over whether data center limit will apply to Prologis project

Just two days after Trenton voters overwhelmingly approved new limits on data centers, the issue appears to be up in the air, brought back in front of city leaders Thursday.

The city council, in a closed-door executive session, discussed Amazon Web Services and plans for another data center project in the area.

It was the first council meeting the city of Trenton had held since Issue 17 passed in the 2026 midterms. Behind closed doors, city leaders went into executive session with data centers listed on the agenda.

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Issue 17 passed, but Trenton's data center limit faces big unknowns

Issue 17 passed by roughly an 80-to-20 margin, amending the city's charter to limit new data centers to 25 megawatts.

Trenton Mayor Ryan Perry reacted to that vote Thursday.

"Sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn," Perry said.

For the residents who spent months fighting for it, election night was emotional.

"We stood outside and cried because it's the culmination of a year of feeling like we've been fighting," Lori Blankenship said.

But two days later, that fight has shifted. A Prologis data center project is already under development in Trenton, raising questions about whether the new 25-megawatt limit will apply.

"The charter is the rule of law for the city, and they should be held to the same standards. They haven't started construction, they've cleared the land, they haven't started construction, and we feel like that should stop!" Blankenship said.

Prologis seems to disagree. The company told WCPO:

"Prologis respects the process and the outcome of last nights vote. The result does not affect our project. We feel strongly this project will bring lasting benefits to Trenton, including creating local jobs, generating tax revenue and supporting schools and services. Our team has spent many months engaging residents and local leaders, answering questions and sharing facts about the project, and we will continue to do so as the project moves forward."

That disagreement could ultimately end up in court.

"We fought a little grassroots movement with $3,800. We fought a billion-dollar company, and so far we're doing pretty good... So I do believe there's going to be some legal issues, but we will wait and see," Amy Humbert said.

And after Tuesday's landslide vote, these residents say they're prepared to keep fighting.

"Oh, the fight's still ongoing..." Blankenship said.

"Here in Trenton it's just a matter of holding our breath to see whether or not Prologis will pull out of the city," Humbert said.

A city official told me there are still really a lot of unknowns now that Issue 17 has passed, with this project. We'll keep you updated as we learn more.

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