County tables data center ordinance after lengthy hearing
Warrick County officials tabled an amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance concerning data centers after a lengthy public hearing. The board also voted to draft a separate ordinance to enact a temporary moratorium on data centers through December while they refine the zoning language. Community members voiced concerns about environmental impacts and infrastructure strain.
The Warrick County Area Plan Commission (APC) recently held a public hearing in Boonville regarding an amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance that would introduce new regulations for data centers. The meeting drew a large crowd, with community members speaking both in favor of and against the proposed changes, leading to a three-and-a-half-hour discussion.
Lloyd Winnecke, president and CEO of the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP), spoke in support of data centers, highlighting their potential economic benefits, including job creation and an increased tax base for public services. However, opponents raised various concerns, citing issues prevalent in other communities such as water usage, noise pollution, utility demands, and electronic waste.
Warrick County officials ultimately voted 5-2 to table the zoning ordinance amendment for four months to allow for further review and to address community concerns more thoroughly. Concurrently, the board voted 4-3 to draft an additional ordinance, to be presented at an August meeting, which would implement a moratorium on all data center development within the county through December. This temporary halt is intended to provide the county with more time to refine the regulatory language.