Morgan Co Commission Passes Data Center Rezoning Proposal

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — The Morgan County Commission has approved another rezoning proposal for a new data center.

During Monday morning’s commission meeting, commissioners voted to pass a second rezone of 158 acres for the site of a data center project near the town of Monrovia. The company behind the project is still unknown.

There was strong opposition from some local residents who attended Monday’s meeting. They again cited their concerns about environmental impacts and electricity costs.

Bruce McClain said the residents deserve to know more about who exactly is behind the data center plans and why it would benefit their area.

“We have been told we are uninformed, but how can we gain information when the company operates under a cloak of secrecy with things like nondisclosure agreements,” McClain said to the commission and Joe Calderon, the attorney representing the company behind the data center proposal.

Chris Green was hoping to have some of his questions answered too, but said he has not figured out anything new “because of all the NDA’s that everybody is hiding behind.” He urged the commission to vote ‘no’ or at least vote for a continuance, but that did not happen.

“Do they get whatever they want,” Green asked of the commission. “Are you guys going to develop some concern for the citizens?”

The Morgan County Council is expected to consider the project during a meeting Thursday night. There’s been no timeline shared of when construction would begin for the project if it’s approved.

In February, county commissioners approved the rezoning of 390 acres of agricultural land for the same project.