Shelby County IN data center overlay (2026)
Shelby County, Indiana — Commissioners Adopt UDO Revision with Data Center Overlay Text Amendment as Six-Month Moratorium Ends (August 24, 2026)
Shelby County, IN · Shelby County, Ind. — UDO revision with Data Center Overlay Text Amendment (Aug. 24, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- August 24, 2026
- Applies to
- Data center developers in unincorporated Shelby County
- Enforced by
- Shelby County Plan Commission / Department of Planning
Shelby County commissioners adopted new zoning rules for data centers on August 24, 2026, the day after a six-month pause on data center proposals in the unincorporated county ran out. The rules are part of a revised development ordinance and add a data center overlay. The plan director called them fairly restrictive and said it would be hard for a data center to meet all of them. They went through three rounds of review in response to public concerns. The article did not list the specific requirements.
Who is protected: Residents of unincorporated Shelby County
Legal detail
Shelby County, Ind. Board of Commissioners adoption of a Unified Development Ordinance revision including a Data Center Overlay Text Amendment, Monday, August 24, 2026. Applies to unincorporated Shelby County. Preceded by a six-month moratorium on data center proposals that expired the day before (~Feb 23 to Aug 23, 2026). Three iterations of review; Plan Director Desirée Calderella: 'fairly restrictive', 'difficult for a data center to come in and meet all of these requirements'. Specific standards (districts, setbacks, water, noise) not reported. Vote count not reported.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Shelby County, IN |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | August 24, 2026 |
| Citation | Shelby County, Ind. — UDO revision with Data Center Overlay Text Amendment (Aug. 24, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Data centers must meet overlay standards to be approved |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · government use of AI |
| News report | Commissioners approve data center ordinance, coroner building bond resolution — Shelby County Post / Shelby News |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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