Fort Wayne City Council rejects proposed data center moratorium and task force
The Fort Wayne City Council rejected a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center approvals in a 4-4 vote. It also defeated a proposal to create a task force to develop data center regulations, while concerns continue over Google’s southeast Fort Wayne facility and its effects on nearby neighborhoods.
The Fort Wayne City Council voted down Councilwoman Rohli Booker’s proposals for a one-year pause on new data center approvals and a task force to develop comprehensive standards for future projects. The moratorium failed on a 4-4 vote, and the task force proposal was defeated 3-5.
Booker and Councilman Russ Jehl cited infrastructure, utility and neighborhood concerns, while Councilwoman Michelle Chambers opposed the moratorium in part because of its broad and unclear definition of data centers. Local electrical workers also warned that a moratorium could jeopardize construction jobs. The measures would not have affected Google’s existing southeast Fort Wayne project, which has drawn resident complaints about noise, lighting and neighborhood disruptions.