Indy City Council Prepares for Deeper Review of Data Centers
INDIANAPOLIS — The City-County Council is getting ready to take a closer look at the future of data centers, with a deeper review process as more people and leaders raise concerns.
Council President Maggie Lewis, who was recently named to the leadership role, said the issue requires careful study and broad discussion before any long-term decisions are made.
“I do think it’s important that we take the time to do the research and have the conversations about data centers,” Lewis said. “All data centers are not created equal, and that’s something we’re really going to have to spend some time working through and understanding.”
Lewis pointed to underused industrial properties, including warehouse space in the Brightwood area, as potential locations that could factor into future discussions. She said she plans to rely on council members who represent those districts to help guide the process.
“One thing that we’re going to do collectively is that deep dive into data centers,” Lewis said.
Councilor Michael Paul-Hart stressed the importance of public input, saying a past data center proposal in Franklin Township showed why those conversations matter.
“We have to get involved, number one,” Paul-Hart said. “That’s why we were successful in Franklin Township to begin with, because so many people came out.”
Paul-Hart said community engagement helped uncover key details about the proposal and encouraged residents to continue asking questions and attending meetings.
“Having a blanket moratorium or a proposal like that isn’t going to work, because we’re not going to learn from those situations,” he said. “We learned a lot from the Franklin Township situation because we had all these questions.”
Councilor Jesse Brown said recent efforts have focused on responding directly to constituent concerns, particularly around the impacts of large-scale developments.
“We’re just encouraging developers to refrain from the activities that our constituents have told us bother them the most,” Brown said. “This was an attempt to find some common ground, whether we’re pro or anti data center, and politely ask for the
worst of the worst abuses to be curbed.”
Brown also questioned transparency, pointing to a past proposal involving Deep Metal Ventures. The company later confirmed it was working for Google, information Brown says only came out after an accidental disclosure at a press conference.
Brown said Paul-Hart could not share details with constituents because of a non-disclosure agreement, highlighting the need for clearer communication going forward.
