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Resident urges temporary moratorium on data-center rezoning; commissioners say that authority lies with County Council
Summary
A New Carlisle resident asked the Board to impose a one-year moratorium on rezoning agricultural land to industrial for hyperscale data centers; commissioners said they lack authority and advised taking the request to County Council.
During the public-comment portion of the meeting, Dan Caruso of New Carlisle asked St. Joseph County commissioners to impose a temporary one-year moratorium on rezoning agricultural land to industrial for data-center projects.
Caruso framed the request as precautionary and cited recent moratoria in other counties. “Citizens for responsible economic and environmental development asked Saint Joseph County Board of Commissioners to impose a temporary moratorium on the issuance or receipt of any request for rezoning of any land currently zoned agriculture to industrial in St. Joseph County Indiana for a period of 1 year,” Caruso said. He asked that the moratorium cover hyperscale data projects in excess of 5,000 square feet.
Clerk/meeting staff acknowledged and thanked Caruso for his comments but explained the board does not serve as the legislative body that sets zoning rules in St. Joseph County. “We are not the legislative body. ... So, I would respectfully request that those comments be taken ... to the next county council meeting,” the clerk said, noting County Council holds zoning authority in this jurisdiction.
The board recessed following the public comment period. There was no board vote on the moratorium request; commissioners encouraged the commenter to present the proposal to County Council for legislative consideration.
