The Elkhart Common Council Monday night advanced a bill calling for a data center pause until they can adopt standards and rules for data centers and battery energy storage systems.
The bill is sponsored by the Mayor Rod Roberson administration. Roberson says if the city doesn’t create standards, tech firms can develop them however they want as long as the land is zoned industrial.
The bill gives city staff 60 days to study issues associated with these facilities, from the electrical grid and water impacts to fire protection and air quality, nose and vibration levels. It calls for a longer pause, 180 days, until the council can include those standards in a new Unified Development Ordinance.
In a statement, Roberson said the pause “gives us the time to do our homework, understand those impacts, and develop thoughtful zoning standards that protect our community while ensuring future development is conducive to Elkhart’s long-term success.”
The council will have a public hearing and final vote at a special meeting Aug. 27.
