A controversial rezoning for a potential data center in Bristol drew a standing-room-only crowd to the Elkhart County Area Plan Commission’s meeting Thursday. Opponents scored a win but it’s likely only temporary.
Over 500 people packed into the gym at St. Mark’s Church in Goshen for a five-hour meeting. Two farming families have had the town of Bristol annex their land and they want it rezoned as a Planned Unit Development, and data centers have shown interest in the nearly 1,000-acre site.
Many of those who spoke against the rezoning sounded like County Road 23 resident Sherry Otto.
“We do not want our land raped," Otto said. "We do want drinkable water, wildlife that is abundant. Enough is enough, and it is time for you to listen to our numbers, and we say no more.”
But as the petitioners’ engineering consultant reminded the commission, the law requires local governments to base zoning decisions on objective criteria, rather than on whether they’re popular.
Still, the commission voted 7-2 to send the case to the Bristol Town Council with an unfavorable recommendation. But in a letter read aloud at the meeting, Bristol Town Council President Jeff Beachy said the council supports the project and they’re set to vote on it Aug. 6.
