Daily Digest — April 29, 2026
Birmingham City Council Delays Vote on Data Center Regulations Amid Public Opposition
The Birmingham City Council unanimously voted to postpone adoption of a proposed ordinance establishing new regulations for data centers, pushing a decision to early June, according to BirminghamWatch. The draft rules include 19 conditions for hyperscale facilities covering energy and water consumption, noise, backup power restrictions, and a minimum 500-foot setback from residential areas. A moratorium on new data center applications has been in place since March 3 while the city develops the framework.
A key point of contention is the proposed 500-foot setback, which residents and groups including the Southern Environmental Law Center argued should be increased to 1,000 feet, as reported by WBMA. The proposed ordinance would also require closed-loop cooling systems, restrict stormwater discharge into municipal systems, and limit backup power generation to emergencies. Onsite power generation, excluding solar, would be prohibited.
The delay followed a public hearing where residents protested outside City Hall against the Nebius AI factory planned for Lakeshore Parkway, as reported by WBMA. Community members raised concerns about environmental impact, infrastructure strain, and proximity to homes and schools. Some residents, however, voiced support for the project's potential job creation and economic benefits.
Mayor Randall Woodfin stated that existing projects by Nebius and DC BLOX are exempt from the new rules because their permitting processes were already underway before the moratorium, according to WBRC 6 News. Woodfin cited past unsuccessful lawsuits — including cases involving moratoriums on car washes and storage facilities — as evidence that the city cannot legally block projects already in the development pipeline. Council President Darrell O'Quinn indicated the delay was a direct response to the volume of public input, with the earliest possible vote expected in June, per ABC 33/40.
The Birmingham Business Alliance expressed concern that overly stringent regulations could deter economic investment, while environmental groups including the Alabama River Alliance called the proposed ordinance a potential model for other cities.
New Data Center Regs Proposed for Birmingham
BirminghamWatch
Birmingham City Council delays vote on data center rules after public feedback
WBMA
'Not in my neighborhood': Residents protest data center project in Birmingham
WBMA
City council delays Birmingham data center regulations vote
ABC 33/40
Mayor Woodfin addresses data center concerns
WBRC 6 News
Rochelle City Council Unanimously Rejects 48-MW Data Center Proposal
The Rochelle, Illinois City Council voted unanimously on April 27 to deny a development agreement with Midwest Power Investors for a proposed 48-megawatt, 300,000-square-foot data center, according to Shaw Local. The project had been planned for a 75-acre site north of Steward Road, west of the BNSF railroad, and south of Interstate 88. The developer had owned the site since 2013 and contacted the city in 2024 to begin discussions.
Key concerns centered on the facility's 48-megawatt power demand, which would have been nearly five times larger than the 10-megawatt load of Rochelle Municipal Utilities' largest existing customer, as reported by Shaw Local. Mayor John Bearrows cited limitations related to the city's power company and transmission lines, as well as the need to preserve power for essential services including hospitals and nursing homes, according to MyStateline.
The decision followed significant public opposition:
- A petition with over 1,000 signatures opposing the project
- Resident testimony raising concerns about water usage, utility rate increases, and noise
- Council debate lasting approximately 40 minutes before the vote
The developer, represented by Zach La Motta and John Favia of Midwest Power Investors, had proposed covering $6.9 million in infrastructure improvements and cited property tax benefits and school funding as project advantages, per Shaw Local. The project would have created 25 to 35 full-time jobs and 500 construction jobs, as reported by 13 WREX and MyStateline. The council had previously tabled the vote on March 23. Rochelle currently hosts three smaller data centers but has no immediate plans to pursue a similar facility, though it remains open to other developers, according to 13 WREX.
Rochelle City Council unanimously denies data center development agreement
Shaw Local
City of Rochelle votes no to a data center following two years of back and forth: The full breakdown
13 WREX
Rochelle city leaders reject proposed data center over resource concerns
MyStateline
City of Rochelle votes no to a data center following two years of back and forth
13 WREX
City of Rochelle votes no to a data center following two years of back and forth: One hesitation for
13 WREX
Upper Merion Township Faces 4-Million-Square-Foot Data Center Proposal
Philadelphia developer Brian O'Neill of MLP Ventures is proposing a cluster of data centers totaling over 4 million square feet in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania, within King of Prussia's Renaissance Park, according to The Chestnut Hill Local. The projects include a 1.6-million-square-foot center on Swedeland Road and a 1.9-million-square-foot facility on Renaissance Boulevard. Four proposals were on the township planning commission's April 22 agenda, which was postponed at O'Neill's request and has not been rescheduled.
Residents organized through groups including the Hughes Park KOP Civic Association are mobilizing in opposition, citing concerns about noise, electric bills, water scarcity, and health risks. One proposed site on Renaissance Boulevard sits on a former Superfund site with inactive quarries. A Quinnipiac University survey found 68% of Pennsylvania voters oppose data center facilities in their communities.
Township officials, including Supervisor Tina Garzillo, are revising zoning ordinances to impose stricter data center regulations covering size, noise, water usage, and a 1,000-foot residential buffer. However, O'Neill's current proposals may be exempt from the new rules as they were submitted before the ordinance's enactment. At the state level, Sen. Katie Muth has joined advocacy groups calling for a moratorium on data center development in Pennsylvania. Residents from multiple townships are fundraising for legal representation and expert witnesses.
Indianapolis Drafts First Data Center Zoning Rules as DC BLOX Faces East Side Opposition
The City of Indianapolis held a virtual information session to discuss new zoning regulations for data centers as the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) drafts the city's first comprehensive data center zoning ordinance, according to WISH-TV. The proposed ordinance includes:
- Noise cap at 65 decibels
- 200-foot minimum setback from property lines
- Restrictions on evening generator testing
Four data center developments have sought approval since March 2025, per the DMD. The public feedback period is open until May 19, with a public hearing scheduled for May 20.
Separately, DC BLOX is seeking a variance from the Metropolitan Development Commission to build a $2 billion data center campus at the Thunderbird Commerce Center, a 150-acre industrial park on the city's east side, as reported by Mirror Indy. The multi-phase project includes three buildings and an initial 80,000-square-foot facility, according to wowo.com. The company presented at an April 27 community forum at Downey Avenue Christian Church, where residents raised concerns about water consumption, potential chemical contamination, and noise.
The city has clarified that the new zoning proposal will not affect projects already approved or filed, as reported by IndyStar. City-County Councilor Jesse Brown has called for a pause on all data center developments currently in the pipeline and an end to local tax breaks for data center developers. The Metropolitan Development Commission is scheduled to consider the DC BLOX petition on June 11.
Indianapolis hosts virtual info session on data center zoning regulations
WISH-TV
Eastside data center developer faces questions about project
Mirror Indy
DC BLOX Data Center
wowo.com
Data center proposal won't impact approved, filed projects, city says
IndyStar
See photos of a proposed DC Blox data center campus on Indianapolis' east side
IndyStar
Killeen Planning Commission Unanimously Rejects $30M Data Center Proposal
The Killeen, Texas Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend denial of a conditional use permit for a $30 million data center proposed by ONMINE on a 2.6-acre site on South Fort Hood Street, according to KYYW 1470. Co-founders Ahmed and Ziyad Elgamal presented the facility as a "virtual power plant" designed to work with ERCOT to stabilize the state's energy grid and stated it would not use local water for cooling.
Commissioners and residents raised concerns about:
- Limited economic benefit, with only 14 full-time jobs projected
- Noise pollution from the facility
- Substantial electrical demand
Despite city staff acknowledging the project's alignment with Killeen's economic plan due to proximity to an electrical substation, the commission sided with community opposition, as reported by 25 News KXXV and the Killeen Daily Herald. A local congregation also testified in opposition, citing quality-of-life impacts.
The project now advances to the Killeen City Council for a final decision, which may be made by newly elected council members following recent local elections. As reported by KCENNews, the situation in Killeen mirrors broader Central Texas tensions, where residents in nearby Temple are pushing to recall city leaders after the Temple City Council approved its third data center project.
