Microsoft also plans to use a closed-loop system
St. Joseph County Council Rezones Extra Land for Microsoft

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind.–The St. Joseph County Council unanimously approved on Tuesday the rezoning of 40 acres for a Microsoft data center in Granger, despite concerns about rapid data center growth and farmland loss.
Leaders with the data center say it will not heavily impact the local aquifer for cooling purposes. Microsoft also plans to use a closed-loop system for water consumption.
St. Joseph County Council President Dan Schaetzle says expansion for Microsoft was already part of the plan and this project is needed.
“We are living in an era when things are changing rapidly, and AI and data centers are part of that change. So, you know, we are going to see some of that. But again, I think balance is really important, and we need to find that balance,” Schaetzle said.
Mike McManus is one of the people who stood up at the meeting to speak. He is concerned about traffic.
“Even though there were lots of studies and lots of assurances, it’s still a mess out there. So I think we can all assume, no matter what, it’s still going to be a mess on Cleveland road. So at some point we have to put our foot down and just say enough,” said McManus.
Marcy Kauffman is the Town Council President of New Carlisle. She believes a lot of this is happening too fast.
“We have a lot to handle with Amazon and with GM coming and we are … it would be something that probably our community just couldn’t absorb with all the growth, with all the traffic, with just industrialization,” said Kauffman.
The St. Joseph County Council could vote on the re-zoning ordinance for the proposed data center north of New Carlisle next month.