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Residents urge slower review, more transparency for proposed south-side data center
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Summary
Multiple residents told the La Porte County Board of Commissioners they felt 'blindsided' by notices about a proposed hyperscale data center on the county's south side and urged the board to pause negotiations and increase public input, citing concerns about water use, environmental impacts and NDAs signed during talks.
Multiple residents told the La Porte County Board of Commissioners on April 15 that they felt surprised and excluded from discussions about a proposed hyperscale data center near Boyd Boulevard, pressing county leaders to slow the process and provide more community input.
Eric Beal, who gave his address as 307 West 13th Street, told commissioners he and neighbors were "absolutely blindsided by the speed" of outreach and said a recent mailer announcing Microsoft’s involvement arrived "the day before yesterday." He warned of long-term environmental and household-cost impacts, saying, "The hyperscale data centers of this size use, somewhere along the lines, all the water for the daily usage of Michigan City and La Porte combined in 1 day." Beal asked the board to slow the review and increase transparency so residents can voice concerns before decisions advance.
Rodney McCormick, who identified himself from 617 Union Street, framed his response as political pressure, urging residents to hold supporters of the project accountable at the ballot box: "In 2027, vote them out," he said, telling the board voters would send a message if officials do not heed community concerns.
La Porte resident Goot Logwood urged the county to seek a fair distribution of taxes from development and recommended using a tax-increment financing (TIF) approach to capture revenue for the county in the 1,400-acre area he described as at risk of annexation. "We need to set precedent," he said, calling some voluntary annexations a "loophole" that shifts benefits to the city rather than the county.
Gary Metcalfe criticized secrecy, arguing that elected officials should not sign nondisclosure agreements in negotiations with private developers: "No seated public official should be able to sign an NDA at all, period," he said, and warned that NDAs can reduce officials’ accountability to voters.
What the board said and did
The hearing record shows public comment only; the board did not take a formal vote on the development during the meeting. Chair (name not stated on the record) thanked speakers and asked that concerned residents share contact information so staff could follow up. Commissioners did not announce a change in permitting or a new public hearing date during the session.
Why it matters
Residents’ concerns highlight two core issues for county oversight: whether the county and neighboring municipalities have coordinated fiscal and land-use terms for a large development and whether public notice and community engagement around large private projects have been sufficient. Several speakers tied their concerns to potential impacts on water resources, local taxes and the use of NDAs in negotiations.
What’s next
No formal action on the data center was recorded at the April 15 meeting. Commissioners invited individual follow-up with staff; residents asked for a slower, more transparent process and a public forum where developers, city and county officials and neighbors can discuss specifics.
