FRANKLIN, Ind. — Franklin Township District Councilor Michael Paul Hart succeeded in his motion at Monday's full council meeting to schedule a public hearing on the proposed Google Data Center.
All 25 council members approved the motion to hear from Google, the community, and Hart about the Franklin Township project before making a final decision.
"We're very excited we won this round but the war is not over yet," said Nikki Vantreese.
The City-County Building was packed with residents holding signs and chanting in opposition to the project.
Hart said that residents in his district oppose the data center.
"It's very sickening to us," said Debbi Vantreese, whose family has lived in the township for over 100 years. "We live on a road named for us — Vandergriff was named for Vantreese. His family built all those homes on Vandergriff Road. We don't want those young kids buying homes across from us to lose everything they have."
"There's plenty of places across Indiana where this would be a good fit, but putting it in the middle of a community where you're not going to get any jobs out of it just doesn't make it a good fit," Hart said.
Residents said packets showcasing Google's plans have been distributed in their neighborhoods.
Councilor Jared Evans opposes the project due to the potential energy impact.
"I think one of the biggest issues is making sure we're not putting the burden on residents to subsidize their energy and water," Evans said. "There's evidence that shows that's exactly what's happening in communities all over the place."
While Hart received full council support for the public hearing, it remains unclear if there's enough support to stop the project entirely.
"All the councilors can ask questions to both parties, and then ultimately the council will decide whether this moves forward or dies," Hart said.
The public hearing will be held at the City-County Building on September 22 at 7 p.m.
