Councilwoman proposes pause on new Fort Wayne data centers, board for large developments
Fort Wayne City Councilwoman Rohli Booker proposed a one-year moratorium on City Council actions regarding new data centers and the creation of a commission to review large developments. This legislation follows ongoing resident opposition to Google's operational data center in the city, citing concerns about resource drain. The proposed pause aims to allow officials time to refine zoning codes for large-scale data center projects.
Fort Wayne City Councilwoman Rohli Booker (D-6th) has introduced legislation proposing a one-year moratorium on City Council actions concerning new data centers and the establishment of a commission to scrutinize large-scale developments. This initiative is a direct response to over a year of sustained resident opposition regarding the environmental impact and resource consumption of Google's data center in her district.
The Google facility, initially known as Project Zodiac, became operational in December and is slated for future expansion on its 892-acre campus, representing a $2 billion investment. Councilwoman Booker clarified that the proposed moratorium would only affect future council decisions, such as rezoning and tax abatements, while allowing city economic development and planning officials to continue working with interested companies. The pause aims to provide city officials time to refine zoning codes for large data centers.
The proposed "Fort Wayne Community Infrastructure & Environmental Review Commission" would be a nine-member board designed to review projects based on their scale, operational needs, resource consumption, and potential cumulative impacts. This new proposal builds on an earlier, withdrawn resolution by Councilman Russ Jehl (R-2nd), who expressed strong support for Booker's updated approach. The commission is expected to assess the adequacy of local policies for such developments within its first year.