data center

South Bend Mayor James Mueller says a council bill to bar city staff from signing confidentiality agreements about projects is overly broad and "unworkable."

South Bend Mayor James Mueller says a common council bill barring city staff from entering confidentiality agreements is too broad and would force employees to violate state and federal laws or be fined.

A “specialized partner" would develop the AI computer infrastructure, while NextNRG would support it with power generation, battery storage and other energy infrastructure.

“Elkhart is one of the most dynamic economies in the country – cyclical in nature, impacted by some of the things that are on the bigger front that we deal with,” said Governor Mike Braun.

An ordinance approved by the county commissioners Monday prohibits commercial data centers from all zoning districts in unincorporated areas of Starke County.

A new ordinance announced by the city council this week would suspend the approval of new data center developments, until the city adds regulations or until July 31, 2028.

South Bend Mayor James Mueller has said new standards for data centers will come from his office but common council members Oliver Davis Jr. and Sherry Bolden-Simpson say city government's legislative branch should create such rules.

At a press conference Tuesday with common council and labor leaders, South Bend Mayor James Mueller announced his administration welcomes data centers but they'll have to follow new standards to make sure they're compatible with neighborhoods.

An effort to pause data center development in Michigan City has itself been paused. The city council on Tuesday tabled a proposed moratorium ordinance, by a vote of eight-to-one.

Democratic St. Joseph County Council President Bryan Tanner worries a data center ban could trigger lawsuits from developers that will increase the county's legal costs. But Republican Council Member Amy Drake says he's being too cautious on the issue.