Neighbors call construction on Meta Lebanon data center a 'nightmare'
Meta's data center construction in Lebanon, Indiana, is causing significant disruption for nearby residents due to relentless lights, noise, dust, and truck traffic. Neighbors have voiced strong opposition at city council meetings and filed complaints, prompting minor adjustments from Meta and city officials. While Meta and city leaders highlight economic benefits, residents describe their lives as a "nightmare" amidst the ongoing 24/7 construction.
Meta is actively constructing a large data center campus, comprising 13 buildings including 10 data centers, within the 5,800-acre Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace (LEAP) Research and Innovation District in Lebanon, Indiana. Construction, which began in October and operates around the clock, has drawn significant complaints from nearby residents in unincorporated Boone County. Neighbors report constant bright lights illuminating their homes, persistent noise and vibrations, and increased truck traffic causing sleep disruption and quality of life issues.
Residents, including Kimberly Hobson-Moore, Leslie and Bret Hine, and Christy Neff, have voiced their concerns at Lebanon city council meetings, describing the situation as a "nightmare." They lament the impact of 24/7 construction, dust, and occasional flooding from the site, which affected nearby soybean fields. Lebanon Mayor Matt Gentry acknowledges the inconveniences but emphasizes the substantial economic benefits for the city, including Meta's $120 million investment in infrastructure and future annual payments in lieu of taxes totaling $7.5 million, which he plans to use for property tax rebates.
City officials, including Lebanon Planning Director Ben Bontrager, state that existing ordinances regarding noise and lighting primarily apply to finished buildings, not the construction phase. While Meta, through its contractor Mortenson, has made some adjustments like installing shorter, downward-aimed lights and privacy panels, and is implementing a temporary traffic signal at a dangerous intersection on State Road 32 where a Mortenson subcontractor was killed, residents remain largely dissatisfied. The city is now researching how other municipalities regulate noise and lighting for large projects, potentially leading to future code changes, while residents pray for bad weather as the only respite from the ongoing work.