Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission approved adding data centers to a zoning ordinance during a meeting Wednesday.
Through an amendment to the county's current ordinance, data centers will be categorized as an exceptional use in heavy industrial, or "I-3," districts. Exceptional uses include planned unit developments, salvage yards, agriculture and commercial solar energy farms.
"Looking at our ordinance, we had nothing that really covered (data centers)," said APC Director Matt Sandy. "Sometimes we try to shoehorn in a use without specifically addressing it. In this case, we know there's some on the horizon ... they are clearly defined as a data center (in the ordinance), that's important, the more definition we have, the better."
Sandy said he believed it was fair to classify data centers as an industrial use. APC member Mike Long and attorney Steve Snyder agreed.
"It's a relatively new, but a quickly growing aspect," said Sandy about data centers.
"I've done a lot of reading and research on data centers," said Long. "From what I can gather, you're looking at a lot of natural resources being used here in the form of water for cooling ... there's a lot in my mind that points to an I-3 usage."
APC President Lee Harman asked why such a large amount of acreage was required for the establishment of data centers. Snyder said multiple large buildings are usually required to house all the computers.
"You look at the (data center) projects that are ongoing in St. Joseph and Allen Counties," said Snyder. "I believe both of those are over 500 acres. But that's what it takes to house the computers sufficient to serve as a data center."
APC member Bob Conley said he received comments from a couple farmers in opposition of data centers. He noted one local farmer who's not in opposition after receiving a land purchase offer.
"He said he's been offered above $35,000 an acre for his farm ... what that does to agriculture blows it out of the water," said Conley. "If someone offered me that kind of money, that's quite a tickle. You get a data center, and they want 500 acres, that's a lot of agriculture to take out of production."
Long asked if it was possible for data centers to eventually become a public utility. Snyder said he was not aware of any municipalities starting a data center and that they were all privately owned.
"(Farmers) are of the opinion that it's their real estate, they own it, they should be able to do what they want with it," said Conley. "My contention is we have to look at the long-term ... to what extent do we protect agriculture, and can we? That's why we have the I-3 classification."
"This is something that's probably going to be here for 100 years," said Long. "What's the obsolescence of these things? I've read that obsolescence is as early as 10 years."
Snyder said it's difficult to predict whether data centers will last 10 or 100 years.
Long said placing data centers as an exceptional use within an I-3 district was the safest route for its categorization and noted the ordinance could always be amended at a later point in time.
The ordinance amendment for data centers will now go before the Kosciusko County commissioners for approval on Feb. 25.
Prior to the ordinance amendment, the APC approved a final plat at The Oaks, a subdivision located on James Lake in North Webster. Since the project was first presented in May, only a minor adjustment has been made regarding right-of-way. The Oaks asked for approval with a surety in place.
Sandy said plans for erosion control and sewer were still in the works. The APC approved the final plat, pending the completion of those matters.
The APC also approved sending a favorable recommendation to the county commissioners for a road right-of-way vacation for Kevin Hohman on the east side of Diamond Lake, near Beaver Dam.
Sandy also gave a legislative update to the APC members, with concerns being expressed pertaining to HB 1628. This proposed bill would make the state of Indiana the sole regulator of multi-jurisdictional infrastructure projects. The APC approved Sandy sending a letter on the commission's behalf with their concerns about the bill.
Kosciusko County APC's next meeting is at 1 p.m. March 5.