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Resident urges LaPorte County to adopt ordinance limiting data centers on farmland
Summary
A resident urged LaPorte County commissioners to adopt an ordinance restricting data centers from farmland after neighborhood utility markings suggested possible development; commissioners said no developer has formally approached the county and noted the current ordinance limits such facilities to industrial zones.
Lindsay Waneski, a LaPorte County resident, told the Board of Commissioners on Sept. 17 that neighbors are worried by recent utility markings and flags on farmland between 400 South and 500 South and asked the board to adopt an ordinance to prevent data centers from being sited near homes, a county park and a school.
"I'm here tonight looking for answers regarding the possibility of a data center going in between 400 South and 500 South," Waneski said during the public-comment period, citing utility markings she associated with a firm named Abenmark and asking the commissioners to "move swiftly in adopting an ordinance for data centers in LaPorte before any data center companies come to you." She also said data centers can be intensive users of electricity, adding a claim that such facilities "can use up to the same amount of electricity as 400,000 homes in a month." (Comment as transcribed.)
The concern stems from neighborhood outreach in August and follow-up conversations in which residents were reportedly reassured that no location had been chosen. Waneski said residents submitted proposed revisions to an ordinance on Aug. 29 and are awaiting a final draft.
An unidentified speaker responding for the board said that, as of the meeting, "no one has approached the county for anything to do a project yet," characterizing recent on-site work as part of a developer's due diligence and noting that the county's current ordinance would place such facilities only in industrial areas. The speaker said any update to the ordinance would be intended to strengthen existing rules.
Why it matters: Data-center siting can affect local land use, utility demand, property values and community infrastructure. Waneski referenced a recent Lake County ordinance as a possible model and urged LaPorte County to act before companies begin permitting or construction activities that could complicate future regulatory steps.
Next steps: The public commenter asked the board for a special meeting and a swift ordinance update. Commissioners acknowledged the concern and discussion during the meeting indicated staff and commissioners expect to handle zoning or ordinance changes through the normal amendment process and follow-up meetings; no formal ordinance was introduced or voted on during the Sept. 17 meeting.
Sources: Public comment by Lindsay Waneski (SEG 076–SEG 141); board response (SEG 142–SEG 151).
