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Planning commission approves temporary moratorium on data centers
Summary
The Planning Commission approved a temporary moratorium on new data centers to give the city time to draft rules and regulations; the moratorium passed by roll call with five yes votes and one member absent.
The Planning Commission voted to impose a temporary moratorium on new data centers in the city, a measure presented by Tim Fisher, who identified himself as a member of the Peru City Council. The moratorium passed by roll call with five votes in favor and one absence.
Fisher told the commission he "initiated this moratorium for data centers for the city" so officials would have time to "have some rules and guidelines about bringing in data centers into the city limits." He said the county had already adopted a similar moratorium and that the city plans to review that ordinance rather than "recreate the wheel." "My goal is to kind of see what they come up with and build from that," he said.
A resident, Tory Bendel, told commissioners a local coalition that has opposed data centers since December 2025 supported the moratorium. "I am fully in support of you guys passing the moratorium," Bendel said, adding their group helped shape the county ordinance and moratorium.
Commissioners asked whether the moratorium would be followed by a city ordinance setting siting, operational and zoning rules. Fisher and other commissioners said the moratorium is temporary and is intended to pause new construction on sites already zoned industrial until a formal ordinance can be drafted and approved by the city council.
The commission closed the public hearing, took roll call and approved the moratorium by voice/roll call. The transcript shows the roll call votes in favor from Joe Molineaux, Mike Sabolish, Dennis Cephas, Jeremy Brittenbach and Jim Baker; Drew Stevenson was recorded as absent. Commissioners did not set a final timeline for ordinance adoption during the meeting; Fisher referenced the county vote expected on the 20th of this month as a model the city would consider.
Next steps: the commission’s action places a temporary bar on new data-center construction until the city council drafts and approves a formal ordinance. The body and staff indicated they will rely on the county’s forthcoming ordinance language as a starting point.
