New data centers temporarily banned in Marion County – WFYI

New data centers temporarily banned in Marion County  WFYI

New data center developments cannot be approved in Marion County until 2028 The Metropolitan Development Commission approved the pause Wednesday. New data center developments cannot be approved in Marion County until after 2027. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission unanimously voted 6-0 on Wednesday to enact the pause. It is effective immediately. When the measure passed at Wednesday’s commission meeting, the room erupted in cheers. The move follows months of protests over proposals from tech companies to build data centers in and around Indianapolis neighborhoods. The moratorium will stop new data centers from being built until at least Dec. 31, 2027. It also creates a committee of experts and residents who will study campus size, building height, environmental impacts and sound levels of data centers to help inform future zoning decisions.

Mayor Joe Hogsett, who supports the pause, proposed $150,000 for the committee in his 2027 budget plan. The decision won't affect the three data center projects already approved, which have drawn community opposition: DC Blox in Warren Township, Metrobloks in Martindale-Brightwood, and Sabey in Decatur Township. Over 50 people attended the meeting, including a large majority who stood up to signal their support for the moratorium — and opposition to data centers. Commissioner Brian P. Murphy questioned whether the proposal would include those previous data centers the commission had approved.