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Residents raise questions about proposed data centers, utilities and community benefits
Summary
Public commenters at the Town Council meeting described three prospective data center proposals and urged clearer commitments from the town on how new development will deliver community benefits and not unduly raise utility costs.
During public comment at the Sept. 23 Town Council meeting, multiple residents discussed proposals for three data centers and urged the council and staff to clarify impacts on water, electricity and community services.
Rick LaFever, identifying himself as a resident on the 3600 block of 70 Ninth Place in the Fourth Ward, said he had been told three separate developers had approached the town and described possible locations. LaFever said one site is “on the North Side of A Hundred And First Avenue, east of Beaver Dam Ditch” and another “in back of Polycon Industries and Modern Forge” with access off Clay Street or Harms Road. He also said there were “96 acres in Ameriplex on the south side of 90 Third Avenue in back of Pinnacle Hospital” owned by the Mizner Group.
LaFever asked who would handle increased water and electric demand and warned of potential rate impacts. “How are we gonna handle the water and the, NIPSCO?” he asked; councilors and staff responded that utilities are not directly provided by the town and that developers typically coordinate with utility providers and regional infrastructure owners.
A second public commenter said data centers could be an economic windfall and urged that any tax incentives be tied to commitments for local services and staffing. That speaker noted food-and-beverage tax revenues already collected and urged the council to make explicit commitments—such as staffing for fire or police, park investments, or sponsorship of youth programs—so residents see direct benefits from new development.
Other public comments addressed code enforcement and nuisance properties (rodent activity under slab homes, unmaintained yards and nonworking vehicles) and asked the town to take action on blighted properties. The chief and code/street staff acknowledged the concerns and offered to follow up with residents after the meeting to get addresses and consider enforcement or remediation options.
No formal action on data centers, incentives or utility rate changes was taken at the meeting; the comments were recorded during the public-comment portion of the agenda.
