Rezoning Plans for Google Data Center on Indianapolis Farmland

INDIANAPOLIS— The Metropolitan Development Commission, with an 8-1 vote on Wednesday, approved a rezoning request for a Google data center campus in Franklin Township.

The rezoning proposal, backed by Google through Deep Meadow Ventures, aims to transform 486 acres of farmland into a data center campus. This decision now moves to the full City-County Council for final review, with a vote anticipated on Sept. 8.

A Google spokesman told News 8 by email on Wednesday, “We are always planning for future capacity needs, which includes evaluating options to expand our data center presence in markets across the U.S. In Indiana, we can confirm we are exploring a potential development in Franklin Township.”

Local residents have expressed opposition to the project, citing concerns about air pollution, noise, and potentially higher electricity bills. The community’s apprehensions highlight an ongoing national debate over the environmental and economic impacts of data center projects.