Resident urges St. Joseph County to back one-year moratorium on data-center rezonings

Dan Caruso of New Carlisle used the public-comment period to ask the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners to support a one-year moratorium on new data-center rezonings countywide, or at least in New Carlisle and Olive Township.

Caruso told the board that the county council’s December rezoning vote on a data-center proposal passed 7–2 and that community speakers had opposed additional development. "Let's not do this rezoning…Let's wait and see what falls out once this Amazon project—until we know what their total usage of energy and water is going to be, it would be foolish to proceed with any other data center developments," he said, urging commissioners to "go on record and oppose…put up a 1 year moratorium." (Dan Caruso, New Carlisle.)

In response, the presiding commissioner spoke for himself and explained why he and two mayors had spoken in favor of the recent rezoning. He said county analysis showed "no impact on the water or limited impact on the water. It's closed loop system," and noted the company had offered concessions on setbacks, number and height of buildings. He added that the project could help offset a county revenue shortfall tied to state-level changes and that citizens should bring substantive policy requests to the county council, the legislative body.

The board did not take formal action on Caruso’s request during the meeting. Commissioners and councilors have previously weighed in publicly on rezonings, but Caruso asked the commissioners to consider a formal moratorium while the Amazon project’s broader effects are evaluated.

Next procedural steps related to zoning authority were not decided at this meeting; the speaker suggested matters for the county council, which handles rezoning decisions.