MUDDY CREEK TWP – The township’s board of supervisors will hold a public hearing prior to its next meeting to solicit public comment on a proposed data center ordinance.

The board of supervisors expects to vote on the ordinance at its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 18, with a special public hearing being held at 6 p.m.

Township secretary Abbie Flinner said the purpose of the ordinance is to establish ”specific regulations for the planning, construction, operation, modification and decommissioning of data centers and ancillary accessory uses.”

A preliminary version of the ordinance was submitted to the Butler County Planning Commission for its review last month. Earlier this month, the planning commission gave its approval with two minor comments attached regarding parking requirements and landscaping.

Supervisors also discussed a draft version of the township’s 2027 budget during their meeting Wednesday night, Oct. 21.

Township officials said residents should not expect an increase from their current municipal tax rate of five mills, which has been the rate since 2011.

In addition, there are no significant new expenses expected in the draft 2027 budget, aside from inflation-related adjustments to current expenditures.

“It’s just basic things that everybody else is dealing with,” Supervisor Dale Kerr said. “Utilities and fuel, those are things that are going up, but they still remain within our budget.”