Saint Joseph County planning commission sends unfavorable recommendation on proposed New Carlisle-area data center rezoning

The Saint Joseph County Area Planning Commission voted 7–0 on Sept. 16 to send an unfavorable recommendation to the County Council on a petition (APC 306625) that would rezone about 10.57 acres on the south side of Chicago Trail, west of Spruce Road and east of Timothy Road, from A (agricultural) to I (industrial) to allow development of a data center campus.

Staff summary and why it mattered

Sean Cline, Area Planning Commission staff, told the commission the site includes several parcels, active agricultural fields and at least two single-family homes. Staff found the rezoning inconsistent with the county’s future land-use map and with New Carlisle’s 2040 comprehensive plan because most of the soils are classified as USDA prime farmland. Staff noted the site could meet industrial development standards if utilities and road improvements are provided, and recommended that any favorable referral be conditioned with written commitments similar to those applied previously to other data center projects (including prohibitions on heavy industrial uses and a required traffic study).

Public comment and petitioner presentation

Brandon Dickinson, an attorney for the petitioner, told the commission Indiana law protects property-owner rights to request rezoning and outlined a plan he said would include generous setbacks, undergrounded utilities where feasible and a 250-acre parcel the petitioner said it would consider conveying to a public body as a buffer.…