Proposed Indianapolis data center rules move forward amid protest
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Protesters at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) vote. Photos: Justin L. Mack/Axios
Indianapolis' first attempt to set uniform rules for data center development is moving forward despite passionate calls to hit pause on the process.
Why it matters: The city has approved multiple controversial data centers in the past few months with no dedicated zoning category governing them.
- Wednesday's hotly contested Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) vote was a labored first step toward changing that for future projects.
Zoom in: Following an hourlong protest outside and more than 90 minutes of discussion inside, the MDC approved the Department of Metropolitan Development's (DMD) proposed data center zoning regulations in a 5-3 vote, which drew loud boos and bursts of profanity from the crowd.
Here is some of what changed between the April draft and the advancing version.
🔊 Noise: The original cap was a general 65 decibels — comparable to a normal conversation or busy street — "at all hours" at the property line.
- The amended draft lowered that level to 55 decibels, but the MDC settled on a more specific maximum of 65 dBA while stressing the need for experts to assess frequency noise produced by the facilities.
📏 Distance: The original buffer of 200 feet between a data center's main building and the property line of a "protected district" was extended to 400 feet.
- Members of the public at the hearing proposed a buffer of 1,500 fee, pointing to the city of Valparaiso proposing setback of 1,000 feet, but the MDC did not present an amendment to extend the distance.
📃 Annual reporting: The amended version adds the requirement of a formal annual compliance report and a public-facing online dashboard showing monthly electric and water consumption, peak use and generator testing dates.
Yes, but: Neither version applies retroactively to Indianapolis neighborhood data centers in the pipeline.
- The rules would apply if an existing data center sought to expand.
The other side: Critics including City-County Councilor Jesse Brown said instead of creating guidelines, the city should be pursuing a moratorium, like the symbolic pause unanimously supported by the council in May.
- Protesters said the current plan fails to address data center size requirements, long-term environmental impacts, training plans for local departments in the event of a fire and the impact low frequency sound production could have on residents with special needs.
- "Do not let the people of Indianapolis think you're nothing but a bunch of crooks," said Brown, who helped organize the pre-vote protest. "You have to show people that you care."
What they're saying: Commission leaders stressed the importance of not delaying the vote for another month. But MDC member Brent Lyle suggested that slowing down was the right move.
- "The symbolic gesture from the City-County Council on moratoriums, I think, speaks to this exact moment that we're in right now," Lyle said. "There is a lot of fervor about this, and we just went over dozens of different suggestions in this room today."
- "In lieu of … the idea of presenting an amendment to an amendment that we haven't even seen written yet, I love that we pause this conversation."
What's next: The amended proposal will be introduced Monday to the full City-Council Council.
- It will go to the Metropolitan Economic Development Committee for a public hearing on July 13.
- If there are no additional delays, the council will make a final vote on Aug. 10.
