Fulton County commissioners ask planning panel to form study committee after public outcry over proposed data‑center moratorium

Fulton County commissioners on April 16 heard extensive public comment on a planning‑commission recommendation to adopt a one‑year moratorium on permitting data centers and voted to ask the planning commission to form a committee to study possible ordinance changes before the county takes final action.

The planning commission had issued a favorable recommendation and presented a signed certification of that recommendation for a 12‑month moratorium on granting permits for data centers, a presenter told the board. A county staff member cited the statutory process referenced in the meeting — described in the transcript as "Indiana code, 36,746,007 E1" — and said the moratorium itself cannot be adopted tonight. Under that process, the recommendation must be certified and publicized, and the commissioners will vote on the measure at the first regular meeting after the planning commission's recommendation, the staff member said.

The public comment period that followed drew more than a dozen residents. "We've got about 1,000 signatures," said Charles Dredge of Akron, noting organizers had collected petitions. Fulton County resident Ethan Trotter said the extra time would allow officials to…