ASHVILLE, Ohio — The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that the Village of Ashville must certify a citizen-led referendum petition challenging a controversial data center agreement, marking a significant victory for residents seeking to bring the issue before voters. The dispute stems from an agreement approved by Ashville Village Council that would allow EdgeConneX to develop a data center in the village. The Ohio Supreme Court rejected the emergency argument, ruling that the resolution failed to include an adequate explanation demonstrating why it qualified as emergency legislation. The Ashville case comes as communities across Ohio continue to grapple with proposals for large-scale data centers. Unlike those efforts, Ashville’s referendum seeks to overturn a specific agreement with EdgeConneX rather than prohibit future data center projects outright.