BOONVILLE, Ind. — After hours of comment from residents and a large group of business and development representatives, the Warrick County Area Plan Commission opted to table an ordinance that would regulate data centers.
After some back and forth, the APC members voted 5-2 in favor of tabling the ordinance for four months. The idea being that during that time the study committee can go back to the drawing board on some aspects of the ordinance, and seek out experts in the field.
“Yes” votes were Brandon Pryor, David Goldenberg, Ray Rentchler, Stacey Franz Richard Reid and Jeff Valiant. “No” votes were Jeff Willis and David Goldenberg.
After that vote, discussion began on whether a moratorium should be in place to keep data centers from coming in prior to having any ordinance on the books regulating them. A motion was made to have a moratorium ordinance drafted for discussion at the APC’s August meeting. It ultimately passed 4-3.
Yes votes: Jeff Willis, David Goldenberg, Ray Rentchler and Richard Reid. No votes: Brandon Pryor, Stacey Franz and Jeff Valiant.
What led to this discussion?
Warrick County officials have said there are no current data center plans submitted for approval, but the conversation on the controversial issue heated up quickly when a company was set to present in front of the APC last year.
The presentation was ultimately canceled by the APC, and a committee was created to begin work on an ordinance that would address data centers within county zoning laws.
Since that time, a contingent of residents have been vocal with their concerns on data centers. Many of those residents showed up Monday night to speak before the APC on worries around water usage, sound and light pollution and the potential impact to natural resources. There were also concerns about how much a data center would impact utility rates in an area where CenterPoint Energy bills have community members stretched to the max.
But Warrick County residents were met with an equally large group of business and development reps including the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership and CenterPoint Energy.
EREP was represented by its president and CEO, Lloyd Winnecke, who said the current ordinance is too restrictive. His organization began publicly calling for Warrick County to table the ordinance on Friday.
CenterPoint was also represented in the room Monday. Mike Roeder, head of CenterPoint’s Indiana operations, spoke on behalf of the utility and laid out talking points similar to those being shared by EREP, such as tax revenue and job creation.
What happens with the ordinance now?
The APC is set to discuss the ordinance at the Nov. 9 meeting. At that time, if the ordinance is approved, it will go to the Warrick County Commissioners for approval or denial. The commission could also opt to make changes to the ordinance.
What happens with a moratorium?
The APC will have an ordinance outlining a moratorium recommendation at the Aug. 10 meeting. The APC will then vote on if they want to send that onto the county commission for approval.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Warrick County tables data center ordinance, moratorium possible
Reporting by Sarah Loesch, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sarah Loesch, Evansville Courier & Press | USA TODAY Network
