Boone County Area Plan Commission to have public hearing on data center moratorium
The Boone County Area Plan Commission forwarded a proposed one-year data center moratorium for unincorporated areas of Boone County, Indiana, to the County Commissioners for consideration. A public hearing is scheduled for June 3, with a potential vote by the Commissioners on June 15, after an initial oversight meant a public hearing did not precede the Plan Commission's vote. The moratorium aims to allow time for the county to complete its comprehensive plan and research a possible ban on data centers.
The Boone County Area Plan Commission has proposed a one-year moratorium on data center development in unincorporated parts of Boone County, Indiana. The proposal, which aims to give the county time to finalize its comprehensive plan and research a potential ban on data centers, has been forwarded to the Boone County Commissioners for their vote.
Initially, an oversight led to the Plan Commission's vote without a formal public hearing. Plan Commission President John Merson announced that a public hearing will now take place at the commission's June 3 meeting. This will allow the county commissioners to consider the proposal at their June 15 meeting, according to Commissioner Tim Beyer, a delay from the previously expected May 18 discussion.
Merson expressed his personal opinion that data centers should be banned in unincorporated Boone County, citing concerns about infrastructure and the preservation of rural lifestyle and atmosphere. The proposed moratorium would provide officials with an opportunity to determine whether all data centers should be prohibited or only certain types, such as larger facilities.