data center

Elkhart Common Council Member Aaron Mishler says that without standards, tech firms can build data centers however they please on industrially zoned land.

"The petitioner on August 3 submitted a letter to the town requesting that the application be withdrawn from the council’s consideration,” said Bristol Town Attorney Alex Bowman.

Under a proposed resolution, $2.5 million dollars would go to the police and fire departments, while $500,000 would be used to help residents struggling to pay their water and sewer bills.

After saying he supported the project in a letter read aloud at a packed Elkhart County Plan Commission meeting July 9, Bristol Town Council President Jeff Beachy now says he'll oppose any data center proposal in the town.

Bristol Town Council President Jeff Beachy did not attend Thursday's 5-hour Elkhart County Plan Commission meeting, but he sent a letter saying the council supports the project, despite heavy community opposition.

The Elkhart County Advisory Plan Commission has set a July 9 meeting at 2 p.m. to consider whether it will recommend that the Bristol Town Council approve or deny a rezoning that a developer needs to build a data center on two farms.

While many people worry about a range of issues caused by data centers, this class action lawsuit filed by Detroit-based Liddle Sheets PC focuses on noise complaints from people living near the data center.

Although Microsoft isn't seeking a property tax break, St. Joseph County economic development director Bill Schalliol says the county is still asking the tech giant to pay for new water and sewer lines to spur growth in Granger beyond the data center.

The Elkhart County Area Plan Commission is set to consider the proposed Bristol Innovation Park data center project on July 9.

Now that construction is underway on Microsoft’s Granger data center, St. Joseph County officials are promising to keep an eye on disruption to the surrounding community.