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. Civil engineer Andy Zine said preliminary discussions with the town of New Carlisle show the town’s water system “has sufficient capacity to serve the site” with extensions from the town’s mains but that final allocations and any aquifer studies would be negotiated with the town.

Opponents — including residents, New Carlisle officials, Hamilton Grove senior-living representatives, environmental groups and the county’s own economic planning stakeholders — stressed the rezoning conflicts with the recently adopted county and town comprehensive plans, warned of potential water-supply and electric-grid impacts, and said the area has seen construction-related traffic and public-safety strain from other projects. Speakers said they fear permanent loss of productive farmland and harm to nearby single-family homes and the senior-living community. The county received 143 letters of remonstrance and seven letters in support, staff said.

Key details and authority references

- Petition: APC 306625 — rezoning from A (agricultural) to I (industrial).
- Site: approximately 10.57 acres on Chicago Trail (addresses listed in the packet).
- Written responses: staff recorded 143 remonstrance letters (126 from unincorporated St. Joseph County) and seven letters supporting the rezoning.
- Staff said the site is inconsistent with the Saint Joseph County comprehensive plan’s future land-use map and with the Town of New Carlisle’s 2040 plan but could be developed for data-center use if utilities, street infrastructure and written commitments were provided.
- Town of New Carlisle provided an April 14, 2025 letter and a subsequent addendum that stated the town had not taken official action on the April letter and sought more information before taking a position; the addendum cites “resolution 20 0 9 0 1 0 2” and a citation to state law as printed in the addendum (transcript: “IC 5 14 1.56 0.14”).

Commission action and outcome

Commissioner Molly Hannon moved that the commission send an unfavorable recommendation to the County Council on APC 306625. The motion carried on a roll-call vote, 7–0, and the commission will forward its unfavorable recommendation to the County Council for their consideration.

What remained unresolved

Staff and petitioner representatives said the town and developer remain in discussions over water allocation, traffic mitigation, written commitments that would run with the land, and whether the petitioner would record restrictions to prevent unrelated heavy industrial uses on the rezoned acreage if the data center does not proceed. Engineers described a range of possible water usages tied to cooling-system choices; the petitioner said cooling and internal mechanical layouts are proprietary and not finalized, and that the town would negotiate final allocations and any required aquifer studies.

Voices

Supporters included St. Joseph County economic development staff, who argued the site’s available services and proximity to transmission infrastructure could deliver jobs and investment. Opponents included a wide cross-section of New Carlisle and township residents, representatives of Hamilton Grove senior living, environmental and conservation groups, township trustees, and the county council member for District A. Concerns repeatedly raised in public comment included: loss of prime farmland, the adequacy of water and sewer for residential and agricultural uses, traffic and safety on narrow county roads, and distrust that promised buffers and written commitments would be enforced.

Looking ahead

The commission’s unfavorable recommendation now goes to the St. Joseph County Council. County staff and petitioner representatives said negotiations on written commitments, traffic engineering and utility allocations would continue if the County Council chooses to take up the petition. Public commenters urged the council to “pause” until existing data-center projects in the county have operated long enough to show real impacts on water, traffic and utilities.

Ending note

Commissioners and many public speakers framed their concern around recently adopted county and town comprehensive plans and the perceived need for clearer, enforceable commitments if industrial development is permitted within areas the plans designate for agriculture. The County Council will consider the commission’s recommendation and any additional conditions before taking a final zoning decision.