Scott flowing back on seven hundred w WELW show. You're streaming, you're on your phone, you.
Got devices in the background. Things are going all. Everything's good. You're using all this data. And then one day one of those platforms you're on, or maybe all of them slow down. You get that spinning wheel of frustration. Well, what's going on? This thing sucks? It's broken. No, that's the AI boom. Okay, so we're all on our phone, we're all using stuff. AI comes along puts even more stress on the system. You may not think you're using AI.
You're using AI as we speak. So people in Mount orb in Maysville and Butler County and Wilmington for that matter, taking a hard look if they want them in their towns. So the City of Cincinnati is getting very proactive on this, putting a temporary moratorium on new data centers while they do a zoning stead of review. It's not a band,
it's just a pause. And she is part of the Housing and Growth Committee, and that would be council Member Mika d Owens and the D stands for data Meka, good morning, how are you.
That's the same. Well, that's a good one. That sounds great. Yes, I am doing well. Thank you so much for having me this morning. Very excited to be here.
Okay, so obviously major corporations need them, we get pg Kroger fifth or they require data infrastructure we have more demand. People in the city would often talk about the urban areas being a desert for connectivity when it comes to high speed that would help with this thing. So starting with the basics here, city doesn't even have a zoning
definition for data centers right now. So has there been any interest from the outside the facilities up to this point and what triggered this need for moratorium in the point where literally you want to vote on this today.
Yeah, Well, first of all, I think it's important that we recognize we are in an AI zone similar to I think the Internet, and so what that means that this technology is here, It's on your iPhone, it's everywhere, as you indicated, and so you know, this is not a question of whether or not just going to grow. It's how organizations, companies and cities jurisdictions get ready for this type of technology, revitalization or resolution, whatever you want
to call it. And so what this step is is really a pactive step that will help us to one define what data centers are and you know data center centers in terms of being able to run AI. It's all. Also the concern is the industry consumption that it is required to do that. So the first step is, let's pop to define this. Let's look at areas of the
city where this might occur. So we're looking at twenty two thousand parcels and what that will do is really healthy administration to get in to one get more educational understanding and create a framework around if somebody actually wants to come to the city and create one.
Okay, and that is probably sooner rather than later. Again, a pause, not a ban. But so let's say P and G or Kroger they're working on something. You know that they're always expanding, and you have a new CEO. Obviously Kroger, you've got there's a need to expand. If they need to expand their data infrastructure during this temporary period,
this this moratorium, are they grandfather? Then what do you what do you tell the biggest employers and some of the biggest companies in the world you can't have it.
Well, that's going to be a part of the engagement that the administration is going to have to do while they are getting all of the pieces on the administrative side by way of zoning and definition and the totity Court nation. They're going to do that over the next couple of months and hopefully we get to a point of better understanding so that we actually know what to do in a situation like that. We also know that
there are different types of data centers. You know, most people probably think of them as some large warehouse off of the side of the interstate, but they could also be a small room with with with servers. So we want to recognize with the landscape is. And so that's the work that's going to happen over the next couple
of months. And if we don't have and that also insos public engagement and so the pieces that are needed with you know, we don't have those in the next couple of months, they can also extend so that the work can continue until we get to a firmer place of having answers to these question.
Yeah, and you know, I think that makes sense in the Central Business District obviously, no go. But there's land all over the place in Cincinnati and also in Hambling County for that matter where you look at it, going, hey, there's what they need is they need they need electricity. We'll get to that in a second to power these things, but they also need water to cool everything off.
In the data centers.
We've got the Ohio River right there, you know, worried about in some of these counties, you know, like folks in Adams County or Butler County, masl Kentucky and elsewhere more of Wilmington, they're worried about taking all the groundwater out and that's a huge problem for those communities. You really don't have that with the plentiful water in the
Ohio River that gets pumped back in anyway. It's you know, in that you're also in proxi many of the big companies, but also the people and Cincinnati needs needs that infrastructure when it comes to data and when comes to the ability to get more products online and get people connected. And so it's a it's a beautiful fit I think for some of these cities. And you've got the you got the space, and you're not saying no, but I think just being near the Ohio River is a bonus here.
Oh well, absolutely, that is the attraction to the Midwest and specifically you know, Cincinnati and other jurisdictions, and so it is. It is all a part of the changing pollution in our environment and changing climates and changing temperature. The Midwest is going to be so attractive because we see the erosion that is happening on the coast right the West Coast Coast fire was all of those things. So just by that, you know, we have got to
get ready for folks who are coming to this network region. Yes, our natural water water source is a benefit, but it's also something that we need to protect. Again as we will look at data usage and energy consumption, and yes,
water is a part of that. So these are all the important elements, which is why the city is taking a step to say, hey, let's uncover all of this, because we are seeing this evolve over the news and around the world, and Cincinnati is no different than any other city in this country trying to innswer these questions. I think we're putting ourselves in a really great position by saying, hey, let's go ahead and do and overlay on a certain area of the city so that we
can actually get ready. Because the last thing we would want to do is to have one data centers just popping up all over the place, and then they're you know, taking a lot of good demands off of the bridge. And so because right everyone spects to come home and power their home and with on the lights and all of those things, and those that are using solo panels,
you know, that's also quite exciting. And so it becomes a moment where we can think about, one, how do we actually mitigate interview consumption by way of all of these things that could be incentives to help reduce demands. Yeah, you know, solar panels and all of the abolt.
Well, now's the time to look at this, and I'm glad you are, Mika Owens. You know, I was just thinking top of my head the Queen's Gate area, lower Price Hill, that area is in need of development, and the question is what to do after the New Brunch bench Bridge corridor projects done. Hell, we haven't started digging the holes yet, that that'd be a good time maybe to put the pipe in the like in at that point to get the water into the intake and outflow
from the Ohio River. I mean, just now's the time to be thinking about, Hey, where could we put one of these big plants in Cincinnati.
Absolutely. I mean Queens Queen's Gate, aliso A Mountains, the West End is a place that has so much promise considering what happened and what devastated that community. I seventy five and you know you had it was a plus storing place for black people in this city. You end up migrating in other spaces. We think about the Western it definitely has to include housing and you know, amenities
and syntheist as well. And so you know, somebody an exciting conversation to think about what that mix of things look like for the Western right.
Mika Owen's council person on the Scotsland Show on seven hundred WLWD city trying to fast track a temporary moratorium just a pause data centers coming to the City of Cincinnati and trying to get some policy together. Uh. But at the same time, I look at Columbus and Columbus is rolling out the red carpet for Meta and Amazon and Google Data. Why are we pumping the brakes If Columbus is moving forward, are we going to get left behind?
Well? And that's what we don't want, right and so I think what we need to do right now is define what data centers are, and maybe Columbus look ahead of us and doing that. We're currently in our code are learning, so we have no definition. So it's important for us to stop recognize what a data center might be, put that define to it so that the underlying zoning
is appropriate. So at the end of the day, and we're talking about character in a particular community and maintaining that esthetic and quality, all of those pieces have to
be built in at the base level. So you know, again, maybe Coumbus zoning UH is exponentially you know, moving moving quicker than ours, but we certainly want to to your point, this is a moment of revolution where we cannot be left behind, not only by way of policy and how we use this in the at the city, but also by way of attracting new businesses to the signal to the region.
Gotcha, gotcha? Mika Owens on the show, where are you at Kroger? What's going on?
You checking out? What's going on?
Gosh? I started, I sent so funny. I am at a coffee shop in college tail. You know, a girl got many things to do in the morning. We could do model tacting, but I do want to say Scott just one thing about the small your as fictions and
the county at large. This is where you know, commissioners will have to tackle with this issue because when we think about land availability and we think about smollogiers, fictions that are not even set up with departments like planning and dealing with zoning reform, these are the questions that certainly we will have to wrestle with and be prepared for.
Has the city had or scheduled talks with Duke Energy to see if they are great our infrastructure locally can handle this or is that too.
Far out that that's the part of what what will happen over the next three months while you know, the administration is doing this work, so we're talking about the deep uh nitty gritty detail information that will be needed to to to make this viable, right and so uh, you know, engaging with with Duke is at the top of the list. Uh. And then you know, as it relates to how do we really coordinate energy and utility usage if someone wants to come here and open a data center, is the.
Three months moratorium a hard deadline? Because you know, personally I think it should be because too often in government and you've seen this Meka Owens where it's like, hey, give us three months, Well we need another three months. Well, next thing, you know, it's a year and no one's talking to anybody, and now the fruit is just withering on the vine and we're getting passed by. I mean, absolutely,
do the due diligence. I you know, you know the residents and other areas that are undergoing this.
You know, you should be.
Involved in your community and decide what's going on. There's no question about it in this case. I just wonder sometimes you go okay, and then we're onto the next thing, and next thing, you know, it's like P and G and Kroger are thinking about moving out because they need they need more more data and they can't get it because you're you're sitting on things.
So will this wrap up in three months?
We're hoping so. But I think what's what's key here is quality and not necessarily the speed of you know, the speed of getting there is really getting the right
answer to the question. And so while the administration is moving towards, you know, being doing this in three months, first of all, we still have to pass this today, but we are giving some flexibility for an extension if we don't uncover all of the things that we need to because at the end of the day, you have one not only the responsibility of cities to really do this and look at this and examine this thoroughly, but you also have concerns from citizens who some of us
don't even know what AI is or what it does. And so we're also in an environment where we all have to get educated on this revolution because again, it's in all of our lives right now and it's here to stay. And as I've been in AI conversation just with you know, some stakeholders in the city, one of the pieces is, yes, let's educate ourselves on how to use this as an everyday user as a resident. And so there's a lot that I think in the next.
Three months, no question about mick owens, the more times in place. It's going to go on for three months, hopefully not much longer than that, and we can't fall behind.
We know that already.
But at top of your mind, what are the most adverse in facts you're concerned about in your mind?
Is is it energy costs? Is for the environment? Is it noise? Is it traffic or something else?
The highest concern for me would be energy consumption. So if we can figure out the correct balance to that, that's going to be priority. Again. We have done so much work on the groups of NATI Plan and continuing to be responsible to our natural resources will always be the city highest priority.
Okay, obviously the city's behind moving forward with a data center somewhere, and I know that. I've talked to people before and said, well, it's difficult to build up with a huge data center. You know, we have some big empty buildings. It'd be great for that, but the problem is that the batteries waste much. It's about floor loading, and you just can't build a floor the cost. It's cost prohibited build upward because of the weight of these buildings,
so it has to be more expensive. Although there's some areas in other cities where they're doing smaller data centers as well, and maybe a number of smaller data centers versus a big one, but then of course there's that there's that cost issue for these big companies doing it. Whether it's it's good to put it in since.
Of that or not.
It'd be nice if you guys go, hey, listen, we're going to set aside an area or a district or here's here's there's three different sites you can choose from. You'll pick one and we'll get you a deal on the property because it's being unused and it's going to add to the tax space. And so it's an opportunity for local government here to be forward thinking and get their arms around the problem we're all going to face at some point.
For sure. Yeah, absolutely all of the above, which is why you know, creating this overlay district is important. And what we have asked the administration to also do is to consider policies that would helps supplement what they're going
to be uncovering. And so by way of yes, are there is their need for certain instances, is their need to uh look at things like you know cras and uh and other you know abatement strategies that will help to be not cost prohibited but actually helped to get projects across the finish line, right by which you know, we're making sure that one we are you know, energy consumption as it's popular with and that not being a at first impact.
Right.
You look at communities around and I'm sure at some point, if you haven't already make it you're going to talk to folks in more mount orb for example, where you get a small genets packed with people because they're worried about the data center coming in and what it's going to do to their community and quality of life, which
are reasonable concerns. Even if you come up with a plan for this too, I'd imagine there's gonna be sizeable backlash from people in the Cincinnati community that's simply regardless of how well thought out it is, simply don't want it.
How do you address those people?
Well, we ask the administration and in the you know, in this process which early outlines that you have to
do a public hearing on these things. But I think we want to go a buzz and beyond that because of the sensitivity of this, uh, this conversation around AI, and so what we're thinking is that this will look like you know, engagement that is not similar sometimes when we're kind of a directing some of these zoning issues to that point, so that we can address people's concerns upfront, because it's the moment where we're all learning, truly, and
the administration, uh, you know, acknowledges that, and so they're just going to have to take the time to do the right work, the quality work, to make sure we are moving in the right direction.
Well, coffee you're going with this morning at the coffee shop? There? What do you got?
Oh? You know, sometimes I'm a lot taker to go grab it, but I love vanilla.
You like you like a grande. You a big one. You bring your own mug. What do you got work in Armica?
Oh? Well, you know, I always enjoyed turning out of the mud, so hopefully they have. But even if don't, you know, it's nice to be in a coffee with good people.
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
And do you also have to get like a giant jug of water for that flower that you wear on your lapel?
Yes, I try to make Marty water me as well. I know one of these days, you know, someone might come up and try to smell it, and.
Yeah, well I'm afraid water is gonna shoot out at me though.
That's the thing I know, that gag.
Well, that's your hook and it works. It works for that thing is. It's awesome and it's good to talk to you, Mika. You have a great day. Okay, thanks again, all right, she's a council member. Mika Owens on the show on seven hunderd WW from easily the loudest coffee shop in Cincinnati. It was in CVG or something. I'm not quite sure, but Meek always a pleasure to talk to. And this is an issue that's gonna hit all of
us somewhere, no matter where you live. There's going to be the issue of bringing in AI data center in and it's something we demand. It's it's hard to vilify the companies that are doing this because it's me and you that are driving it. And that's the whole nimby thing. Anyway, News on the Way, when a return on the show, we'll keep at Cincinnata. Christy Samage here from three CDC. All right, the convention center's open. They got ten point one million for the naming rights. And now what about
that big hotel? When can we get this whole thing done? News first though, on seven hundred WLW