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LaPorte residents press commissioners for clarity on possible nearby data center
Summary
Residents urged LaPorte County commissioners for transparency about survey activity and a potential data center near Scipio Township, citing water use, road access and property-value concerns; commissioners said no formal filings to planning bodies had been made and pledged notice if applications appear.
Several LaPorte County residents used the Aug. 6 public-comment period to press the Board of Commissioners for clearer information about survey activity and a possible data center near Scipio Township.
"We don't know we don't know what's happening," said Ken Layton, a longtime local resident, echoing concerns about how a large-scale facility might affect wells, property values and daily life. Rip Ludlow said a data center should be sited in an industrial park rather than in farm or residential areas, urging the county to favor existing brownfield or industrial parcels.
Planner (presenting staff) and multiple commissioners responded that, as of the meeting, ‘‘there has been no, permits or applications filed with [the Planning Commission] or [BZA] that I'm aware of,’’ and emphasized that formal zoning processes would require public hearings.
Mary Kay Minnick told the board she had observed numerous surveyors working across several roads and asked for greater transparency about who had been surveying and why. "All I'm asking here is transparency and put it in the proper place, not in somebody's backyard," she said.
Commissioners acknowledged resident concerns and outlined next steps: they said previous informational meetings had focused on road access options rather than on a specific data center proposal, and they encouraged residents to watch for mailed notices and public hearing schedules if an applicant submits zoning or BZA requests. One commissioner said the county’s data-center work group had focused on four issues — location, water use, electricity and abstaining from tax incentives — and reiterated that any formal application would go through Plan Commission and BZA processes with multiple public opportunities for comment.
The board did not take a formal vote related to siting or incentives at the meeting. Commissioners directed staff to notify the public when filings are received and to coordinate mail notices for nearby property owners as required by the planning process. The county also said it would involve the redevelopment commission and state or federal contacts if property conveyances or road access changes are pursued.
Next steps: commissioners urged residents to report notices they receive to the county and said they will circulate information when formal planning or BZA filings are made.
