data center

The Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-1 Wednesday to approve a scaled-back data center campus on Indianapolis' east side in Warren Township.

An Indianapolis City-County Council committee advanced a data center moratorium through 2027 after months of community pressure, sending the measure to the full council for an Aug. 10 vote.

The announcement from Indianapolis City-County Council President Maggie Lewis comes after months of protests at city meetings over data centers and calls from residents to pause approvals.

DC Blox is scaling back its proposed east side data center campus — fewer buildings and generators, a bigger buffer — just before the Metropolitan Development Commission's July 15 vote.

As Indiana courts large-scale data center development, nearly a third of its counties have enacted moratoriums, bans or new ordinances.

Indianapolis does not currently have specific regulations for data centers — which have become a controversial issue, largely due to concerns about water and energy consumption.

Officials are proposing stricter zoning rules for data centers in Marion County, increasing required distances from protected areas and lowering allowable noise levels after months of public opposition.

Indianapolis is among four locations for Meta's new workforce development program, which trains workers to build its data centers.

Residents of Warren Township in Indianapolis expressed deep skepticism about a proposed $2 billion data center campus even as the developer pitched itself as a community partner.

The Hoosier Environmental Council and Martindale-Brightwood residents are asking a Marion County court to block Metrobloks planned data center.