The Warrick County Area Plan Commission convened a special public forum on Thursday at the Friedman Park Event Center to solicit community feedback on a draft ordinance that would create a Data Center Overlay District (DC‑O). The meeting, part of the county’s standard planning process, drew a vocal crowd of residents, fire officials, and local business owners who expressed a range of concerns.
Fire officials demand a seat at the table
Christopher Stephens, a fire chief from the Boonville Fire Department, opened the comments. He said fire chiefs across the county have repeatedly asked to be involved in the planning process but have been ignored. “We still have not had a seat at the table. There’s been very minimal e‑mail communication back and forth, but the requests that have been made multiple times by multiple fire chiefs in the county have apparently fallen on deaf ears,” Stephens said.
Residents call for more information before any ordinance passes
Long‑time resident Yvon Lauren urged the commission to take a cautious approach. “I think that we have to make an effort to learn more about it before we pass any kind of ordinance in this county. I have several homes here. I have a large family here and I plan to retire here, stay here. And I really think it’s time we take this very seriously,” Lauren said.
Questions about the need for additional data centers
Jim Mauror, another county resident, questioned the necessity of further data‑center development. “There is some point going to be a glut of data centers. We cannot build them continuously and at some point the data centers won’t even be necessary,” he warned.
Key provisions of the draft ordinance
The proposed ordinance would establish a floating Data Center Overlay District that permits a data center to be built only on land already zoned for heavy industrial use (M‑2) and that also receives DC‑O designation. Obtaining DC‑O status would require a site‑specific rezoning approved by the Board of Commissioners.
In addition to defining what constitutes a data center, the draft outlines several operational requirements. Developers would be required to submit detailed fire and emergency‑medical service plans, including any additional staffing or training needs the project would create. The ordinance explicitly states that it does not approve any specific data center nor does it rezone any existing property; it merely sets standards for any future proposals.
Context: Project Alloy and broader county planning
The forum followed the announcement of “Project Alloy,” a proposed data‑center development on roughly 700 acres of Alcoa‑owned land near the company’s river‑side complex. County officials emphasized that the ordinance is not tailored to any single project but is intended to provide a consistent framework for any data‑center proposals that may arise.
Next steps
The Warrick County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to consider the ordinance at a meeting on November 9 at 4 p.m., also at Friedman Park Event Center. The public is encouraged to continue submitting comments in writing before the board’s vote.
As the county weighs the balance between economic development and community safety, the outcome of this ordinance will shape how Warrick County manages industrial growth while protecting the interests of families, first‑responders, and local businesses.
Original reporting: 14 News WFIE Evansville (news) — read the source article.
