Residents voice sharp concerns about proposed data center near Wheeler schools; planning process, due process explained

Dozens of residents and one school representative used the Redevelopment Commission's public comment period March 25 to press county leaders for scrutiny of a proposed rezoning to allow a data center near Union Township/Wheeler Middle and High School.

John Hunter, representing Union Township Schools, told the commission the district was "concerned about the cons, specifically from a school standpoint" and asked the county to "have the same considerations about why you would want to put a data center that close to a school." He cited traffic, noise, emissions, and the large electricity and water demands of hyperscale data centers as factors the school district wants considered.

County planning executive director Mike Jabo explained the formal process: "It was a landowner who put in a petition to change the zoning of their land... it has to go through a step process according to our Unified Development Ordinance...the first stop is of course our office... When it's fully vetted... it goes to the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission is the only one that will hear that initially." He emphasized that the Planning Commission makes recommendations to the county commissioners and that any financial incentives (TIF, abatements) would come later if requested.

County attorney Scott (appearing in his role as county counsel) told the audience the county cannot unilaterally "kill" a petition before the process starts: "We all, as American citizens, have due process... everyone... can request or apply for a given request. In this case, it's a rezone... the county doesn't have any individual authority to stop a petitioner or a landowner for making a request. It's incumbent upon the county to process that request, fully and legally... and have the board make the decision." When a resident asked whether the county could "pause" the process, the attorney replied, "I guess the easy answer is no. We can't pause."

Residents who spoke raised recurring concerns: proximity to schools, transparency and access to information, potential tax abatements or TIF incentives and their effect on school finances, noise and generator use, water and power demand, and a perceived pattern of large developers seeking incentives. One resident said the company in question is large and likely to seek subsidies and predicted that if incentives are granted and operations later close or scale down, the long-term community benefits may be limited.

Several residents described neighborhood impacts if large-scale industrial buildings and 50-foot-high structures are allowed near small residential parcels. Amy Herring, a nearby resident, said, "It is the best community that you could ever possibly live in. You're not a number. You are a name," and said she would consider moving if a hyperscale data center were built near her home and her child's school.

Commission leadership acknowledged the community's concerns and asked the public to participate in the upcoming Planning Commission hearings and other scheduled public meetings. Chair Jim Biggs noted the County Commissioners will ultimately hear certain decisions and said his office contact information is available for questions.

Ending: Planning staff said a completed application must be deemed complete by staff before a Planning Commission hearing is scheduled; residents were told the process includes public notice and hearings at both the Planning Commission and, if applicable, the County Commissioners' level.