St. Joseph County IN hyperscale data center ban resolution (2026)
St. Joseph County, IN — County Council Passes 6-3 'Data Center Balance' Resolution Starting a Zoning Ban on New Hyperscale Data Centers (September 2026)
St. Joseph County, IN · St. Joseph County, Ind., County Council resolution initiating hyperscale data center zoning ban (adopted 6-3, Sept. 22, 2026)
- Status
- Proposed / pending
- Applies to
- Prospective hyperscale data center developers in unincorporated St. Joseph County (if the zoning amendment is adopted)
- Enforced by
- St. Joseph County Council; Area Plan Commission
The St. Joseph County Council (South Bend area) voted 6-3 on September 22, 2026 to start the process of banning new hyperscale data centers in unincorporated parts of the county. The resolution itself is not a ban: it directs the Area Plan Commission to define terms and draft zoning changes, which must come back to the council for a final vote. It does not affect the Amazon and Microsoft data center projects already underway. Members voting no worried a ban could hurt the county's business image.
Who is protected: Residents of unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN
Legal detail
St. Joseph County, Indiana — County Council preliminary ('data center balance') resolution adopted 6-3 on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. NO votes: Diana Hess (D), Mark Catanzarite (D), Daniel J. Schaetzle (R). Directs the Area Plan Commission to 'define terms and craft initial changes to the local zoning ordinance' to prohibit hyperscale data centers; applies to UNINCORPORATED county only (not South Bend or Mishawaka). Council President Bryan Tanner called the vote an 'initiating action', not a ban. WSBT: plan commission has 60 working days to draft language and return recommendations; does not affect existing Amazon (New Carlisle) and Microsoft (Granger) projects. NOT ESTABLISHED: resolution number; definition of 'hyperscale'; date of final council vote. review_by set to roughly the end of the 60-working-day window.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | St. Joseph County, IN |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Citation | St. Joseph County, Ind., County Council resolution initiating hyperscale data center zoning ban (adopted 6-3, Sept. 22, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not applicable (initiating resolution) |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | St. Joseph County Council takes first step toward possible ban on future hyperscale data centers — WNDU |
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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