Shelbyville Council Votes to Pass Annex Plans on Data Center

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. — The Shelbyville City Council has voted to approve plans to annex more than 400 acres of land for a large data center.

On Monday night, the council voted 5-1, with one abstention, to annex 429 acres for the project. California-based real estate firm Prologis wants to build the data center complex near I-74 and State Road 44, just east of the city.

The developer is asking the city to annex and rezone the property in order to put up at least 13 buildings in an area that’s currently zoned as agricultural and single-family residential.

JC Witt, a spokesperson for Prologis, said they’re excited to partner with the city of Shelbyville on this project.

“We heard a lot from the community,” Witt said. “As we learn more about what we can do on this site, hopefully we can gain more support from the greater community.”

Most residents who attended the meeting, which saw the council chambers fill up and have an overflow crowd outside the room, were opposed to the proposal. Connie Lindsay told WISH-TV that it’s not that they’re against progress.

“We are open, but we feel like it’s wrong that the data center offers all kinds of environmental impacts and health and safety impacts.”

The Shelbyville Plan Commission will look at the proposal next. A public hearing will be held on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Shelbyville High School Auditorium.