Commission reviews compiled data-center questions, directs staff to start draft overlay

The Hancock County Area Plan Commission on July 28 received a staff-compiled set of "data center questions" and executive summaries developed by a citizens' advisory committee and voted to direct planning staff to begin drafting revisions to the county's data-center overlay ordinance.

The planning director, who presented the materials, described the packet as "a living document" compiled from committee minutes, recordings and public presentations; she said the scribe subcommittee prioritized publicly posted materials and that some economic-development topics in the packet would be better handled by economic or tax authorities. "This is a living document," the planning director said, adding the committee had been meeting multiple times and that the packet is intended to help the commission digest material before drafting an ordinance.

Commission members discussed options including forwarding the material to the county commissioners or asking staff to prepare an ordinance draft for the advisory committee to review on August 18. After debate about staff resources and the potential need for consultants, the commission moved and seconded a direction to staff to begin drafting an overlay ordinance based on the compiled executive summaries and committee materials; the motion carried.

The packet identifies process questions (setbacks, notices and where materials are posted), letter-of-intent (LOI) topics and areas the advisory committee asked the planning commission to explore. The planning director and commissioners noted that staff would retain full legal descriptions in application files even if published notices switch to parcel identification numbers.

Next steps: staff will begin drafting ordinance language for review by the citizens' committee at its August 18 meeting and the plan commission at its August 25 meeting, with further public notice and hearings to follow.