In a 6-2 vote, the Wood County planning commission recommended 13 properties on the edge of Meta data center to be rezoned. According to BG Independent Media, the vote took place on June 2 and the decision will now be left to Middleton township officials, who have the final say.

The rezoning request was filed by Liames LLC, in order to allow Meta consistent zoning for all of its purchased property. The application for rezoning cited the need for zoning changes to allow for “construction logistics”.

Meta purchased 32 acres of land in Middleton Township in April of 2025 with the plan of building ‘the Bowling Green data center‘. The homes on the property have already been razed, and the proposed rezoning is proposed for construction equipment staging and landscaping buffers according to James Sverchek, engineer for Liames LLC.

The current acreage is north of Route 582 and lining the east side of Route 25. Before the properties were razed, several homes and motel rooms and apartments sat on the land, according to BG Independent Media, who reported reported several citizens who were disgruntled by the request, mainly due to a lack of transparency from Meta on their future plans with the land.

Due to the recommendation from the planning commission, the decision now goes to the township zoning committee, who will then make a recommendation to the township trustees, and the trustees will ultimately decide to rule in favor or against the change. After township trustees make their final decision, any opposing the change have 30 days to petition for the issue to be added to the next general election, then leaving it up to public vote.

The Meta owned property in Middleton township is about 7 miles north of Bowling Green. BG Falcon Media previously reported on the back and forth leading up to center’s construction.