Madison County Planning Commission recommends extended data center moratorium
The Madison County Planning Commission has recommended extending a recently approved data center moratorium from six months to a full year. This recommendation will now be considered by the Madison County Commissioners at their August 4 meeting. Citizens overwhelmingly supported the extension during a public meeting.
The Madison County Planning Commission has formally recommended extending an existing six-month moratorium on data center projects to a full year. The initial pause was approved by the Madison County Commissioners just last month.
During a public meeting, numerous citizens voiced strong support for the extension, with no one speaking against it. Al Roadcap, a 42-year veteran of the data center industry, argued that data center technology is still evolving, making heavy investment premature. The planning commission's recommendation for the extension was nearly unanimous, with only Jerry Alexander, who works for Governor Mike Braun's administration and previously opposed the six-month moratorium, voting 'present.' Governor Braun has expressed support for data center investment.
The proposed extension will now go before the Madison County Commissioners at their upcoming August 4 meeting for a final decision. Additionally, the meeting initiated the formation of a new committee, including Planning Commission members Lindsay Brown and Michael Pelsor, to research data centers and assist in drafting future zoning regulations. Executive Director Larry Strange noted that no data center proposals have yet been submitted in Madison County.