The data center fight in Indianapolis (Marion County), Indiana
As of October 1, 2026, Indianapolis (Marion County), Indiana has a data center moratorium in force (action taken Aug 19, 2026; documented end date 2027-12-31).
Status is derived, not stored — a pause with a documented end date flips to Expired on its own — and the source is right next to the claim.
Status today
Council President Maggie Lewis (District 5) authored and sponsored the moratorium, announcing it Jul 10 and introducing it to committee Jul 13. The City-County Council advanced it 23-1 on Aug 10 (lone no: Michael-Paul Hart, District 20, whose district includes the DC Blox site) and the Metropolitan Development Commission gave final 6-0 approval Aug 19 as a zoning-ordinance amendment, through Dec 31, 2027. State law protects three already-approved projects, which are NOT paused — DC Blox (Warren Twp), Metrobloks (Martindale-Brightwood) and Sabey (Decatur Twp). A committee will study campus size, building height, environmental impact and sound levels before the pause lifts. Marion County and Indianapolis are one jurisdiction under Unigov
SourceNews
read 2026-09-02
An expiry date is the earliest a pause could have ended — extensions are common, so confirm with the clerk before citing it.
The projects on the table
Sabey Decatur Township — Approved
Operator: Sabey Data Centers · Size: 250 MW · Acres: 130
Two-building, 900,000+ sq ft, $4B campus near Camby Rd/Kentucky Ave. Approved by Metropolitan Development Commission in March 2026 via industrial-zoning adjustment; ~90 residents protested. Residents later sued; case helped drive Indianapolis's data-center moratorium push.
Next: Approved — pivot from stopping it to a binding CBA: enforceable caps on noise, water and cost, plus a community benefit.
Latest in the record
- 2026-08-19 — The Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-0 to give final approval to the citywide data-center moratorium (through Dec. 31, 2027); Sabey's Decatur Township campus was one of three already-approved projects explicitly exempted under state law. · source
- 2026-08-10 — Indianapolis City-County Council voted 23-1 to advance a moratorium pausing approval of new data centers in Marion County through 2028, partly driven by the Sabey fight; the measure exempts the three already-approved projects including Sabey's. · source
- 2026-07-10 — Council President Maggie A. Lewis announced she would seek a citywide data-center moratorium, citing the Sabey fight among the drivers of the push. · source
- 2026-06-15 — Attorneys for Sabey and the MDC filed a motion to dismiss the residents' judicial-review petition, arguing the citizens' petition failed to meet statutory requirements. · source
- 2026-04-20 — Coverage confirmed Decatur Township residents sued to block the $4B Sabey data center, citing noise, energy demand, water use, lack of permanent jobs, and property-value impacts. · source
- 2026-04-17 — The Decatur Township Civic Council and more than half a dozen residents filed a petition for judicial review in Marion County Superior Court to overturn the MDC's approval, arguing the variance violated state law and due-process rights and amounted to a 'disguised rezoning.' · source
Full dated timeline on the project tracker.
DC Blox Warren Township (Thunderbird Commerce Center) — Approved
Operator: DC Blox · Owner: DC Blox
Up to $2.2B (incl. IT equipment) campus at 305 Fintail Drive in the Thunderbird Commerce Center (former Ford Visteon plant site), near S. Kitley Ave. and the Pennsy Trail. Originally 3 buildings; scaled back on July 8, 2026 to 2 buildings, 25 fewer backup diesel generators, and 28 MW less power demand after community pushback. Exempted from Indianapolis's Aug. 19, 2026 citywide data-center moratorium as a previously-approved project. DC Blox says the project creates 35 permanent high-wage jobs.
Next: Approved — pivot from stopping it to a binding CBA: enforceable caps on noise, water and cost, plus a community benefit.
Latest in the record
- 2026-08-19 — DC Blox was one of three already-approved Indianapolis projects explicitly exempted from the citywide data-center moratorium the MDC adopted 6-0. · source
- 2026-07-15 — The Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-1 to approve the scaled-back DC Blox data-center campus despite dozens of protesters outside the City-County Building. · source
- 2026-07-08 — DC Blox announced a scaled-back plan -- two buildings instead of three, 25 fewer backup diesel generators, and a wider buffer south of the Pennsy Trail -- citing community feedback. · source
- 2026-06-11 — The MDC hearing examiner held a hearing on the DC Blox petition; residents said they felt they lacked a voice in the decision-making process. · source
- 2026-05-22 — WFYI reported residents pushing back on the DC Blox proposal, citing noise, water use and energy-demand concerns on Indy's east side. · source
- 2026-04-27 — A community forum at Downey Avenue Christian Church drew Irvington/Warren Township residents to question the proposed $2 billion DC Blox data-center campus. · source
Full dated timeline on the project tracker.
Source. Read 2026-09-02.
Metrobloks Martindale-Brightwood — Approved
Operator: Metrobloks · Owner: Metrobloks · Acres: 14
$500M, two-building, ~168,000 sq ft data-center campus at 2505 N. Sherman Ave. on the site of a long-abandoned drive-in theater, in a neighborhood with a documented history of lead-contaminated soil. Uses a closed-loop cooling system (water added once, then recirculated) and buys power from AES Indiana rather than the residential grid. MDC approved 3 variances + a rezoning 6-2 on April 1, 2026; City-County Council gave final rezoning approval May 4, 2026. Exempted from the Aug. 19, 2026 citywide moratorium as a previously-approved project. Residents' group Protect Martindale Brightwood said it was exploring legal options to challenge the approval. District councilor Ron Gibson's home was shot 13 times on April 7, 2026, days after he publicly backed the project; a note reading 'No Data Centers' was left at the scene.
Next: Approved — pivot from stopping it to a binding CBA: enforceable caps on noise, water and cost, plus a community benefit.
Latest in the record
- 2026-08-19 — Metrobloks was one of three already-approved Indianapolis projects explicitly exempted from the citywide data-center moratorium the MDC adopted 6-0. · source
- 2026-05-04 — The City-County Council approved the Metrobloks rezoning request; the same day, Councilor Jesse Brown's non-binding resolution urging a temporary stay on high-impact data-center approvals also passed. · source
- 2026-04-07 — District 8 Councilor Ron Gibson's home was shot 13 times overnight; a note reading 'No Data Centers' was left at his door, days after he publicly supported the Metrobloks approval. · source
- 2026-04-01 — The Metropolitan Development Commission approved three variances and a rezoning for the $500 million Metrobloks data center on a 6-2 vote, over objections from Martindale-Brightwood residents citing the area's industrial-contamination history. · source
- 2026-03-11 — The Indianapolis NAACP reversed its earlier opposition to the Metrobloks project. · source
- 2026-02-12 — The MDC hearing examiner recommended the Metrobloks data-center project for approval. · source
Full dated timeline on the project tracker.
Source. Read 2026-09-02.
Recent news
14 stories tracked since 2026-04-07 across 8 outlets. 10× Local officials are moving to pause or block the project. 3× A community is pushing back on a nearby data center. Most recent: “Indianapolis adopts data center moratorium, pausing new developments through 2027” (WRTV, 2026-08-19).
- Indianapolis adopts data center moratorium, pausing new developments through 2027
- Indianapolis data center moratorium takes effect after passage by Metropolitan Development Commission
- New data centers temporarily banned in Marion County
- Indy data center moratorium unanimously approved
- Indianapolis councilors approve data center moratorium
- Indy council advances pause on data centers, sends to commission for final approval
- Indy council advances pause on data centers, sends to commission for final approval
- East side data center wins approval, despite community opposition
- Indianapolis data center moratorium clears initial hurdle
- Indianapolis council president to ask for data center moratorium
- Council leader to introduce data center moratorium
- Data center proposals spark city tax break debate
+2 more on the story tracker.
Automated news aggregation, not human-verified — follow each link to the original outlet. Part of the story tracker, 14 headlines archived.
Where the decision gets made
Indianapolis-Marion County City-County Council (moratorium ordinance sponsor and final legislative vote), with the Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) as the zoning body giving final regulatory approval; consolidated city-county government (Unigov). — Zoning and rezoning ordinances, including the data-center moratorium and any future data-center-specific zoning rules, for the City of Indianapolis / all of Marion County (minus the four excluded municipalities).
Meets: Full Council typically meets monthly, generally the second Monday of the month; committees (including the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee, which handled the moratorium) meet on their own monthly schedule -- see the live 2026 Council Meeting Calendar for exact dates. The Metropolitan Development Commission's hearing examiner holds petition hearings on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 1 p.m.; the full nine-member MDC meets separately to ratify or hear appeals of hearing-examiner decisions.
Where: City-County Building, Beurt R. SerVaas Public Assembly Room, 200 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204
Public comment: Residents can email PlannerOnCall@Indy.gov on a rezoning/variance petition, testify at MDC hearing-examiner sessions (15-minute developer presentation, comparable time for opponents, ~5-minute rebuttals), or contact councilors individually or via city-county.council@indy.gov. A single district councilor can pull a rezoning item for individual floor discussion; blocking a proposal on the floor requires 15 of 25 councilor votes against it.
city-county.council@indy.gov · 317-327-4242 · website
Read from the official page on 2026-09-02. Meeting details change — confirm before you go.
Who votes on it
| Name | Role | Phone | Recorded stance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maggie A. Lewis | Council President | maggie.lewis@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | Authored and sponsored the data-center moratorium; announced it July 10, 2026 and said the pause was 'about exercising responsible leadership and ensuring that decisions of this magnitude are made through a thoughtful, transparent, and data-driven process.' |
| John Barth | Council Vice President | john.barth@indy.gov | 317-902-1453 (cell) | not recorded |
| Jared Evans | Council Majority Leader | jared.evans@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | not recorded |
| Brian Mowery | Council Minority Leader | brian.mowery@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | not recorded |
| Leroy Robinson | Councilor | leroy.robinson@indy.gov | 317-502-0272 (cell) | not recorded |
| Brienne Delaney | Councilor | brienne.delaney2@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | not recorded |
| Dan Boots | Councilor | dan.boots@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | not recorded |
| Nick Roberts | Councilor | nicholas.roberts@indy.gov | 317-476-3025 (cell) | not recorded |
| Carlos Perkins | Councilor | carlos.perkins@indy.gov | 317-797-5170 (cell) | not recorded |
| Ron Gibson | Councilor | ron.gibson2@indy.gov | 317-562-1556 (office) | Publicly backed the Metrobloks data-center rezoning in his district (Martindale-Brightwood) after the MDC's April 1, 2026 6-2 approval; on April 7, 2026 his home was shot 13 times overnight with a note reading 'No Data Centers' left at the door, in an apparent act of retaliation for his support. |
| Keith L. Graves | Councilor | keith.graves@indy.gov | 317-560-4554 (cell) | not recorded |
| Alison "Ali" Brown | Councilor | ali.brown@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | not recorded |
| Crista Carlino | Councilor | crista.carlino@indy.gov | 317-374-6266 (cell) | not recorded |
| Vop Osili | Councilor | vop.osili@indy.gov | 317-332-0877 (cell) | not recorded |
| Jesse Brown | Councilor | jesse.brown2@indy.gov | 317-370-7079 (cell) | Introduced a non-binding resolution urging a temporary stay on high-impact data-center approvals, which the Council passed the same day (May 4, 2026) that it approved the Metrobloks rezoning. |
| Andy Nielsen | Councilor | andy.nielsen@indy.gov | 317-283-9680 (cell) | not recorded |
| Rena Allen | Councilor | rena.allen@indy.gov | 317-622-8877 (cell) | not recorded |
| Jessica McCormick | Councilor | jessica.mccormick@indy.gov | 317-449-9234 (cell) | not recorded |
| Kristin Jones | Councilor | kristin.jones@indy.gov | 317-680-6869 (cell) | not recorded |
| Frank Mascari | Councilor | frank.mascari@indy.gov | 317-788-0520 (cell) | not recorded |
| Michael-Paul Hart | Councilor | michael-paul.hart@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | Cast the lone no vote against the moratorium on Aug. 10, 2026. His district includes the DC Blox site; he argued the city should adopt stricter development standards rather than a blanket pause, saying 'Just by saying no to everything is not a responsible thing to do.' |
| Josh Bain | Councilor | joshua.bain@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | not recorded |
| Paul Annee | Councilor | paul.annee2@indy.gov | 317-327-4242 (office) | not recorded |
| Derek Cahill | Councilor | derek.cahill2@indy.gov | 317-296-3419 (cell) | not recorded |
| Michael Dilk | Councilor | mike.dilk424@gmail.com | 317-698-3455 (cell) | not recorded |
From the locality's own roster page; "not recorded" means no public statement is on file, not neutrality.
What to do next
- Questions to ask at the hearing — force specific answers onto the record.
- Estimate the impact — electricity, water, and rate pressure for any facility size in Indiana.
- Model CBA clauses — copy-paste language communities have actually won.
- Indiana briefing — rates, grid carbon, PUC contacts, and every fight in the state.
Nearby in Indiana
- Boone County (25 mi) — Enactedexpires 2027-06-15
- Putnam County (38 mi) — Enactedexpires soon — 2026-11-17
- Howard County (50 mi) — Enactedexpires 2027-08-18
- Fayette County (53 mi) — Enactedexpires 2027-05-18
- Grant County (58 mi) — Enactedexpires 2028-03-16
- Miami County (69 mi) — Enactedterm not documented
- Cass County (69 mi) — Enactedno end date — permanent
- Vermillion County (70 mi) — Proposedterm not documented
All 23 tracked actions in Indiana are on the state page.
As of August 2026 (2m ago) · changes weekly — re-check before citing
Illustrative rather than exhaustive — dozens of localities churn weekly, and this tracks the ones we have read a source for. **Each row carries its own provenance.** Rows showing a verification date link to the ordinance, the enacting body's own page, or a datable report of the vote, and were read on that date. Rows marked *unverified* came from bulk compilation and have not been checked against a primary source — the locality, the year, and the status may all be off. Verify one of those with the town clerk before citing it as precedent. **Expiry is derived, not asserted.** A row with a documented end date flips to *Expired* on its own once that date passes. A time-limited moratorium whose start date was never documented keeps showing as enacted — that is a known gap, not a claim that it is still in force. Moratoriums are also routinely extended, so an expiry date is the earliest it could have ended, not proof that it did.
Part of the U.S. data center moratorium tracker — open data, CC BY 4.0.