Data Center vote: Warrick Area Plan Commission tables own ordinance; halts projects in 2026

WNIN | By Tim Jagielo

Published July 14, 2026 at 6:30 PM CDT

Attendees to the July 13 Warrick County Area Plan Commission meeting overflow into the hall and stairs prior to the meeting. The big draw was the hearing for the proposed ordinance on data centers. It would have prohibited large data centers, while regulating medium-sized facilities. The measure was tabled for more time to explore the topic.

Warrick APC fielded hours of public comment for, and against data centers; paused projects for further investigation, expert input on effects of data centers good and bad

Attendees pack the Warrick County Commissioners Meeting Room, Monday July 13, as the Area Plan Commission meeting starts. The majority are here for the hearing on a data center ordinance.

The Warrick Area Plan Commission spent 6 months on an ordinance, only to have it tabled in a few hours.

The APC held what ended up being a three-hour hearing on their proposed data center ordinance, Monday July 13. The subject drew just under 200 attendees and dozens of public comments.

Visitors filled the meeting room and the stairs outside. Several were wearing red shirts to express their non-support of data centers.

“I understand that the trades want jobs,” said Jim Maurer, who joined in, wearing red. “But you can't give them jobs at the expense of the rest of the people in the county.”

His concerns were environmental and financial.

The ordinance that was tabled had rules and definitions for three levels of data centers. The law would have fully prohibited large data centers of more than 40,000 square feet, and created regulations on medium data centers. These are 10,000 to 40,000 square feet.

Public comments were nearly evenly split. More than half were wary of data centers, the rest were in favor of the facilities for economic reasons.

Several skilled trades workers and builders spoke in favor of data centers and the jobs created during construction and maintenance, as did advocates of economic development.

Sarah Seaton is Warrick County Commission President. She attended as an individual, and commented in favor of data centers.

“My biggest concern is that if we place an extensive moratorium on any data center development within Warrick County, it's basically just a full stop. In the world of technology, two years is a lifetime, and that doesn't really just put a pause on things. It really just puts a stop to any opportunities that might come to Warrick County.”

The Warrick Area Plan Commission listens to public comment Monday evening June 12 hearing over a proposed ordinance on data centers. From left is Stacey Franz, Jeff Valiant and Administration Office Executive Director Molly Barnhill.

Warrick County Area Plan Commission Attorney Morrie Doll listens to public comments July 13. Doll worked on the proposed data center ordinance and urged the creation of an ordinance to give the county a legal way to control data center projects specifically.

Both sides wanted more care taken with the ordinance. There were critiques on whether limiting data centers by square footage is ideal, as opposed to restricting by megawatts.

There were conflicting comments on whether data centers would raise utility rates, or stimulate the local economy.

Those in favor of data centers wanted the moratorium on large facilities to be removed. In the end, the APC decided to make two motions — one was to table their ordinance to make time to do more research.

The other was to put a moratorium on all projects until December, to block any new projects in the meantime. The moratorium is technically just a recommendation and needs to be passed by the County Commission to take effect.

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