Neighbors suspect annexation request precedes another data center

The owners of more than 1,000 acres of farmland in LaPorte, Indiana, have formally petitioned the city for annexation. This request has ignited speculation among local residents and officials that the move is a precursor to the construction of another data center, potentially by Microsoft or another technology firm. The proposed site is adjacent to an area on Boyd Boulevard where Microsoft recently began constructing a data center on nearly 500 acres, which was also annexed by the city after the company acquired the land. The annexation petition, signed by all property owners involved, was submitted to the city council, as confirmed by LaPorte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook. A public hearing for the request is slated for the April 13 meeting of the LaPorte City Council. Concerns have been raised regarding the conversion of farmland and the significant demands such facilities place on utility resources. LaPorte County Commissioner Steve Holifield, a farmer himself, voiced strong opposition to data centers being built on farmland and near existing homes, although he is not against their placement in industrial parks. He also highlighted instances of surveyors with obscured company logos operating near the Microsoft site, leading the commissioners to vote on researching an ordinance to prevent such concealment. Commissioner Joe Haney also questioned the necessity of more data centers, citing uncertainties about their impact on utility rates due to immense power consumption and potential harm to groundwater from cooling demands. Cook, however, declined to confirm any connection between the annexation request and a specific data center project, preferring to follow standard procedures for public disclosure.