Plan Commission: nine‑month moratorium extension gives time to study towers, data centers and energy projects

The Vermillion County Plan Commission on April 9 said the county obtained a nine‑month extension of Ordinance 2025‑11’s moratorium so planners can review possible changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) affecting towers, data centers and other large energy projects. "So we did get a 9 month extension on the moratorium," a staff member said during the meeting.

The extension was introduced as new business and framed as an opportunity to consider uses that had been raised in previous months, including placement of towers in park districts. The chair said the commission will "hit the ground running" to evaluate language in the UDO and to identify issues that require amendment.

Commissioners and staff discussed why Vermillion County is attractive to some projects: speakers noted three large transmission lines crossing the county and said recent proposals locate data centers in an area referred to during the meeting as "Vermillion Rise." A committee member said the transmission infrastructure means developers can access the grid, making the county a candidate for such facilities.

Discussion also touched on how data centers obtain power. A commissioner reported that rural electric cooperatives typically refuse to directly supply data centers but may allow them to use transmission capacity for a fee; presenters said modern data‑center designs increasingly include on‑site generation to avoid dependence on local utilities.

Environmental concerns were raised in the same panel. A presenter told the commission that engineers expect the new Duke Power plant under construction to use roughly twice as much water as an individual data center; speakers described industry practices for treating and testing cooling water before discharge.

The commission did not take a formal vote on ordinance language at the meeting; members framed the nine‑month extension as preparatory time to conduct research and consider revisions. The commission listed additional topics for future review, including bulk energy storage proposals and the possibility of a separate natural‑gas power plant.

Next steps: the commission will continue deliberations during upcoming meetings and may present proposed UDO amendments for consideration while the moratorium remains in effect.