Neighbors push against Decatur Township data center INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Some people who live in Decatur Township say they’re not happy about plans for a data center in their neighborhood. More than 120 people showed up at Thursday night’s Decatur Township Land Use Committee meeting. M any of them were unhappy about the $4 billion proposal from Seattle-based Sabey Data Centers LLC that would put a 130-acre data center north of Camby Road and southeast of Kentucky Avenue. The land is already zoned for industrial use and the company is filing a variance use petition, which doesn’t require a full City-County Council vote. It only requires the Metropolitan Development Commission approval to build their data center. Earlier this year, the commission voted 8-1 to approve a similar petition for a Google data center in Franklin Township. “If this data center is successful in getting a variance of use and avoiding the city council, that’s exactly what every data center in the future will do,” Pat Andrews, committee chair, said. Andrews didn’t share whether she was for the data center or not. She did express concerns that this decision by MDC in February would open the door for other data center developers. After Sabey presented its proposal, the public peppered the company’s CEO with questions and stern remarks. Many voiced concerns about the possible impact on property value and pollution, as well as the overall lack of economic benefit they believe the the data center will have on the township. Some neighbors in attendance were part of Protect Decatur Township, a group formed to warn residents of what they believe are the dangers of the incoming data center. “People have strong opinions about this and there are a lot of misconceptions out there. But there are just people with really strong feelings and this is a great opportunity to be able express them in this form hopefully everyone hears that,” Sabey CEO John Sabey said. According to company, the project can deliver $20 million annually in property taxes once it’s fully built out. On its website, Sabey says it plans to build two buildings and create hundreds of union construction jobs and 100 long-term career jobs. The company also plans to install a closed loop system, which it says can prevent water pollution by recycling the used water. The Metropolitan Development Commission is expected to make a decision in February. ...read more read less