The president of the City-County Council said she plans to introduce a proposal to enact a moratorium on construction of new data centers.
Maggie Lewis, a Democrat who represents parts of the west side, will introduce the temporary ban at the July 13 meeting of the council’s Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee.
The moratorium would provide councilors, the Mayor Joe Hogsett administration and community stakeholders the chance to evaluate the long-term impacts of these developments, Lewis said in a July 10 statement.
“This is not about slowing progress. It is about exercising responsible leadership and ensuring that decisions of this magnitude are made through a thoughtful, transparent and data-driven process,” her statement read, in part. “Our responsibility is to make informed decisions that serve the best interests of Indianapolis residents. Given the significant questions that remain, a deliberate review is both prudent and necessary before moving forward.”
The moratorium would not apply to projects already approved, such as the Metrobloks’ data center in Martindale Brightwood or the Sabey data center in Decatur Township. Georgia-based developer DC Blox’s proposal also would be grandfathered in.
If the committee approves Lewis’ amendment, the proposal would likely go to the full council for approval in August.
Even if the council approves it, the proposal would need to go back to the 9-member Metropolitan Development Commission for review and approval. The mayor has five appointments on the commission, while the council has four appointments.
Hogsett chairs the board of Indianapolis Economic Development Inc., which has expressed its support for data centers.
A spokesperson for Hogsett did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lewis’ amendment.
How will the committee vote?
Related
Here’s how Indy plans to regulate data centers
A draft proposal includes plans for water management, electrical capacity and noise mitigation.
It’s unclear whether Lewis’ amendment will have majority support from the 15-member Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee. Mirror Indy reached out to all of the committee members to see how they plan to vote.
Council Vice President John Barth, a Democrat who represents Broad Ripple and parts of the north side, pointed the news outlet to a statement he released on social media indicating his support for a moratorium.
Councilor Andy Nielsen, an eastside Democrat, is also backing the moratorium.
Councilor Ron Gibson, a Democrat whose support of the Metrobloks project was instrumental in its approval, said he, too, supports a moratorium. He said he wants to ensure that developers are held accountable for any increases in utility bills.
“We’ve got to make sure anybody that wants to come to Indianapolis for a data center development, that we make sure we hold them accountable for utility costs,” Gibson said. “That’s the primary reason in my mind.”
Councilor Jesse Brown, an eastside Democrat who has been calling for a moratorium, said he was grateful to see more of his colleagues come around to the idea.
“I think it’s demonstrably what our constituents are asking for,” Brown said.
Councilor Derek Cahill, a Republican, said he would like to see the language of the proposed amendment before deciding how to vote.
The rest of the committee members did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.
The six Republicans on the council also issued a joint statement calling for more transparency from council leadership.
“Time and again, council Democrats have chosen secrecy over openness and rushed decisions over public accountability,” the statement read, in part.
What’s next?
Lewis’ proposal will be considered at the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee meeting at 5:30 p.m. July 13 in the Public Assembly Room, located on the second floor of the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St.
Members of the public will be given two minutes to speak on any matters to come before the committee, including the data center zoning ordinance.
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Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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