A developer hoping to build a second data center near New Carlisle has asked St. Joseph County officials to delay their vote another month. They’re running out of time.
The county council had expected to vote on a rezoning the data center needs at its regular meeting Wednesday. But on Thursday they announced that the New York-based developer, New Carlisle 25 LLC, has asked to instead be placed on their Dec. 9 agenda.
The developer would need to rezone from industrial to agricultural over 1,000 acres along Chicago Trail. It would be just less than half the size of the one Amazon is building to the south.
The county plan commission, New Carlisle Town Council and a county council committee have all voted to ask the full council to deny the rezoning. The plan commission vote came in September, meaning if the council doesn’t vote within 90 days, or at its December meeting, the plan commission’s recommendation becomes final and the rezoning request is defeated.
In a statement, the council said, “We know many of you had plans to attend the county council meeting next week, and we understand the frustration this delay causes … (but) Taking the necessary time to make well-informed decisions about our community's future is what good governance looks like.”
