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Council begins work on data‑center moratorium; county presents draft economic development plan
Summary
Councilman Fischer said staff will draft a temporary moratorium on new data‑center development for a July vote to allow study of utility and land‑use impacts. Tori Pendell and others urged action. Separately, the Miami County EDA and American Structurepoint presented a draft economic development plan prioritizing sites along US‑24/31 and near Grissom.
The Peru City Council heard two related but distinct presentations: an introductory discussion about drafting a temporary moratorium on new data‑center development, and a county economic development plan briefing from Miami County and consultant American Structurepoint.
Councilman Tim Fischer outlined a draft moratorium intended to pause approvals, permitting and construction of new data‑center facilities while the city evaluates potential impacts — chiefly power demand, water use and zoning compatibility near residential areas. Fischer proposed returning with a final moratorium ordinance for council consideration on July 6, saying he had canvassed colleagues and sought legal review before a final vote.
Tori Pendell, representing a local coalition for utility and environmental protection, urged the council to adopt a moratorium similar to the county’s current language and highlighted Peru’s small population and utility service load as reasons to proceed cautiously. Council members noted a county public hearing on data‑center ordinances scheduled for June 8 at the courthouse.
Separately, Brooke Robertson (Miami County Economic Development Authority) and Matthew Ror (American Structurepoint) presented a draft Miami County Economic Development Plan. Ror summarized target industries for county recruitment — radiological medicine manufacturing, food and beverage manufacturing, advanced supply‑chain logistics, aerospace maintenance and tourism — and recommended aligning capital improvement planning, workforce training and shovel‑ready site preparation along US‑24/US‑31 corridors and near the Grissom facility.
Ror said the plan is implementation‑focused: it inventories assets, maps shovel‑ready sites, analyzes infrastructure needs (water, sewer, electric and roads), and proposes critical‑path strategies such as coordinated capital improvement planning, workforce alignment with IvyTech, and pursuing federal funding opportunities tied to military base economic programs.
Councilmembers asked questions about timelines, land availability, and how county strategies translate to the city; presenters said the plan identifies near‑term and longer‑term strategies and that capital improvements and zoning coordination would require city‑county partnership. The plan will be finalized, posted online and circulated for comment.
