The Tippecanoe County Area Plan Commission (APC) ordinance committee voted to forward an amendment aimed at pausing large data-center development while staff completes a more comprehensive review.

APC members directed staff to send an amendment to the full APC that would treat “large data centers” of 10,000 square feet or more as allowable in I-2 industrial zoning districts only by special exception and include a one-year sunset provision. The committee amended an earlier staff suggestion that had set the threshold at 5,000 square feet and considered including I-3 zones before removing I-3 from the motion.

The committee’s move was framed as a temporary measure to “buy time” for staff to study impacts such as noise, electricity and water use and to draft enforceable performance standards. An APC staff member said the initial intent was “just to put a bit of a pause on allowing them” while staff identifies appropriate restrictions and locations.

Members and public commenters cited a range of local concerns. April Veil, a resident, told the committee that some data centers can be “hundred, 200, 300,000 plus square feet” and urged the committee to “consider putting a cap on those developments.” Local resident Joe Sobrowski echoed concerns about “noise, high electricity uses, water usage,” and urged the committee to flesh out performance standards similar to other counties’ ordinances.

Committee discussion focused on definitional and enforceability issues: whether to measure the threshold by total building area or by a data-center tenant’s leased space inside a larger building; whether to measure ground-floor footprint only; and how to avoid making long‑standing smaller operations nonconforming. The committee noted an email from Jody Hamilton referencing an existing local operation (WinTech) of about 7,200 square feet and used that as a benchmark in deciding to raise the threshold.

The committee ultimately approved, by voice vote, a motion (moved and seconded during the meeting) to forward the amended text to the full APC for its Oct. 15 meeting. The amended package directs staff to return with a more detailed draft in roughly one year or sooner, and includes a sunset clause to ensure the body revisits the rules.

What the amendment would do: It would (1) define “large data center” in the zoning text, (2) allow such facilities in I-2 zoning only and only by special exception, (3) set a 10,000-square-foot building-size threshold (ground-floor area was discussed for clarification), and (4) include a one-year sunset so the APC must revisit the topic.

Next steps: Staff will prepare revised language addressing measurement (building footprint vs. tenant area), clarify the definition of ground‑floor area, and draft performance standards (noise, water, electrical demand, etc.). The ordinance committee expects the full APC to consider the amended ordinance at its Oct. 15 meeting.

A note on scope and limits: Committee members repeatedly cautioned that the interim measure is not intended to be a final policy and that larger or more detailed restrictions may follow once staff completes technical research and stakeholder outreach.