White County commissioners approve zoning updates, table moratoriums and consider rezone petitions

White County commissioners approved two amendments to the county zoning ordinance and took under advisement proposed moratoria on large renewable-energy projects and data centers at a meeting that included several rezone petitions and public correspondence.

The board voted to adopt Amendment A-81, which updates Chapter 7, “Renewable Energy Systems,” to restrict battery storage facilities from the A-1 general agriculture district and to require two educational training sessions for public-safety personnel as part of an application. Commissioners also adopted Amendment A-82, which adds permitting requirements for broadband providers in county right-of-way and establishes standards for data centers, limiting them to I-2 and I-3 zoning districts and requiring economic-development and road-use agreements and drainage approval.

Those amendments were presented by planning staff, who told commissioners the Area Plan Commission forwarded A-81 by an 8–2 vote and A-82 by a 9–1 vote. Planning staff said the A-81 language adds training and emergency-response requirements and that A-82 mirrors several measures under active state legislation such as water-usage and noise assessments.

The panel also considered three individual rezone petitions forwarded from the Area Plan Commission. Petition 12-01, for 1995 NE Shaffer Drive in Monticello, sought reclassification from A-1 (general agriculture) to R-2 (single- and two-family residential) to allow subdivision of a former campground store into a dwelling; the county approved that rezone. Petition 12-03, for 8602 N. Meridian Road in Monon, requested a change from A-1 to B-2 (general business) to allow commercial storage units; the board approved that petition after staff noted a Drainage Board approval will be required at the building-permit stage.

A third petition, 12-04 (3278 N. 400 E., Monticello), sought rezoning from A-1 to AED (Amusement and Entertainment District). Planning staff reported the Area Plan Commission recommended denial (3–6, one no recommendation) and said the commissioners had received an email with a petition signed by 87 taxpayers opposing the rezone and asking that Commissioner Caleb Pass be recused for an alleged conflict related to property clearing. The petitioner identified in the record was George Cocaro. Commissioners debated the petition and several said they intended to vote to deny, but a motion to deny the rezone failed on the record; the transcript does not record a final disposition of petition 12-04 after that failed motion.

The Area Plan Commission also recommended a 24-month moratorium on commercial or large renewable-energy projects (solar, wind, storage and carbon-sequestration facilities sited to generate electricity for off-site sale) and a 12-month moratorium on data-center permits. Commissioners voted to “take the moratoria under advisement,” citing the need for public notice, counsel review and additional legal steps before imposing a formal moratorium.

Why this matters: the ordinance changes and moratorium discussion mark an active local response to higher-profile state-level and industry activity around battery storage, large-scale solar and data centers. The measures will change where certain energy and data uses can be sited, raise procedural requirements and strengthen public-safety training obligations if projects are proposed.

What’s next: planning staff said ordinance amendments will stand as adopted; the moratorium proposals will return to a future agenda after legal and public-notice steps are completed. The record shows continued public concern about rezoning near residential areas; commissioners asked staff to document any additional correspondence and to include Drainage Board and state permit requirements where applicable.

Provenance: - topicintro: evidence_excerpt: "So the first rezone petition is rezone petition 12 0 1... The subject property for this petition is commonly identified as 1995 Northeast Shaffer Drive, Monticello." (block_id: "t_1362.65", local_start:0, local_end:170) - topfinish: evidence_excerpt: "So I would say we go ahead and and do the resolution..." (block_id: "t_10131.87", local_start:0, local_end:140)

Speakers (attributions available in transcript): - Staff member, Area Plan Commission (presenter of rezones and ordinance amendments) — affiliation: government - Commissioner Caleb Pass — affiliation: government - Commissioner Mike Smolik — affiliation: government - Commissioner Dave Davis — affiliation: government - Applicant George Cocaro — affiliation: citizen - Jeanette Oberle — affiliation: citizen

Authorities: - {"type":"ordinance","name":"Ordinance 221251","citation":"221251","referenced_by":["vehicle policy discussion"]} - {"type":"ordinance","name":"Amendment A-81 to White County Zoning Control Ordinance","citation":"A-81","referenced_by":["article"]} - {"type":"ordinance","name":"Amendment A-82 to White County Zoning Control Ordinance","citation":"A-82","referenced_by":["article"]} - {"type":"other","name":"Area Plan Commission recommendation on rezone petitions 12-01, 12-03, 12-04","citation":"APC 01/13/2025 meeting","referenced_by":["article"]}

Actions: - {"kind":"land_use","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"rezone-12-01"},"motion":"Approve rezone petition 12-01 (1995 NE Shaffer Drive) from A-1 to R-2","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"vote recorded as 'Motion passes' on the record"},"outcome":"approved"} - {"kind":"land_use","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"rezone-12-03"},"motion":"Approve rezone petition 12-03 (8602 N. Meridian Road) from A-1 to B-2","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"vote recorded as 'Motion passes' on the record"},"outcome":"approved"} - {"kind":"land_use","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"rezone-12-04"},"motion":"Motion to deny rezone petition 12-04 (3278 N. 400 E.)","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":false,"notes":"Recorded on the transcript as 'Motion fails'; final disposition not specified in the meeting record"},"outcome":"failed"} - {"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"ord-amend-A81"},"motion":"Adopt Amendment A-81 to zoning ordinance","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"Motion passed on record"},"outcome":"approved"} - {"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"ord-amend-A82"},"motion":"Adopt Amendment A-82 to zoning ordinance","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"Motion passed on record"},"outcome":"approved"} - {"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"moratoriums"},"motion":"Take proposed moratoria on renewables (24 months) and data centers (12 months) under advisement","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":false,"notes":"Commissioners voted to take under advisement; further legal steps and public notice required before any moratorium would be enacted"},"outcome":"tabled","notes":"Public-notice and attorney review required"}

Clarifying details: - "APC vote counts": APC A-81 recommended 8–2; A-82 recommended 9–1; rezone 12-01 APC 10–0; rezone 12-03 APC 10–0; rezone 12-04 APC 3–6–1 - "Public correspondence": rezone 12-04 record included an email with a petition signed by 87 taxpayers; request that Commissioner Caleb Pass be recused (alleged conflict of interest)

Proper_names: [{"name":"White County","type":"other"},{"name":"Area Plan Commission","type":"agency"},{"name":"George Cocaro","type":"person"},{"name":"Dr. Charles Trippet","type":"person"}]

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