Hundreds of residents press commissioners over proposed data center near Wheeler schools; speakers request pause and independent studies

VALPARAISO, Ind. — Dozens of residents from Union Township and neighboring areas packed a commissioners' meeting to oppose a proposed data-center development and related Willow Creek Road extension that would place large-scale data infrastructure near Wheeler-area schools and residential neighborhoods.

Speakers raised environmental and health concerns, requested an immediate pause on rezoning or infrastructure work tied to the proposal, and asked the board for independent environmental and fiscal impact studies and full public disclosure of developer ties.

"Why in in the world would I ask to do that? Out of respect, I'm asking you to do the thing. Why would we put an industrial area immediately adjacent to a school?" said a Union Township resident who identified himself as representing the Union Township School Corporation and who said he was speaking on behalf of the district's concerns about tax base and student safety. (Transcript: public comment segment.)

Several parents and residents said they worry about noise, light and vibration from a hyperscale data center, water use for cooling, and…