Wabash Valley Community Adopts Strict Rules Targeting Data Centers
The Parke County Board of Commissioners has approved strict zoning regulations aimed at discouraging large-scale data center development. These new rules prohibit the use of municipal water for cooling and limit reliance on the local power grid for core operations. While not an outright ban, the ordinance makes data center projects difficult without independent utility infrastructure.
The Parke County Board of Commissioners has approved stringent zoning regulations aimed at deterring large data center development, stopping short of an outright ban but imposing significant utility restrictions. The new framework mandates that technology campuses cannot use municipal water for cooling, requiring them to employ closed-loop, self-contained cooling systems instead.
Furthermore, the ordinance restricts data centers from drawing substantial electricity from the local power grid, limiting its use to only routine office functions. Commissioners stated that state law prevented a complete prohibition on data centers, leading them to craft regulations that make independent water and power infrastructure a necessity for large projects to be financially viable.
During recent meetings, the Commissioners openly voiced their opposition to major digital infrastructure projects, citing concerns regarding increased utility demand, environmental impact, and long-term strain on local resources. Despite these hurdles, the ordinance does provide a narrow path for development, allowing data centers to operate if they are entirely self-sustaining and avoid reliance on public utilities for their primary operations.