The Morgan County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a zoning change for 390 acres of farmland in Monrovia for a controversial proposed data center.
Despite intense opposition from Monrovia community members, the board voted unanimously for the rezoning. Board member Don Adams said he and his colleagues had to consider the needs of the whole county.
“There’s 65,000 people in the county that are going to be invested in it, but Monrovia will be invested in it probably most,” he said. “It'll change things.”
By that, Adams meant potential for more money for the county.
But residents have concerns about the proposed data center’s noise levels, high energy and water use, potential for property tax and home value disruption, and the overall secrecy surrounding the project.
Read more: Indiana attracts developers of data centers but residents have concerns
The developer and end user of are unknown to the public due to non-disclosure agreements. Town council members could only be informed about the proposal details if they signed an NDA. At least one of the town council members signed an NDA.
Morgan County Attorney Anne Cowgur reminded the commissioners and audience that the board’s approval is an early step in the development process and that a lot of details are subject to change.
“If the buildings, parking lots, green space, water retention, all those things do not meet the standards of these gentlemen who are standing up here and others at the County, then they won't approve the project,” she said.
Data center development has been a key talking point for the Trump administration, which has announced plans to spend $500 billion for AI infrastructure throughout the Midwest.
