The Data Center Divide
A policy snapshot ahead of the 2026 midterms. Mapping data center incentives, restrictions, and bans through legislation, regulations, and executive actions across all 50 states and 1,462 local jurisdictions.
Vanderburgh County
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Mixed Data Center Policies
Vanderburgh County’s enacted ordinance temporarily defers data-center applications until December 31, 2026, or zoning amendments are adopted, whichever comes first; it exempts equipment used only for a business’s own on-site IT needs.
Rating from Indiana statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Vanderburgh County.
Specific to Vanderburgh County only.
current law · County measurePauses the filing and review of data center applications until December 31, 2026, or until county zoning rules are adopted, while a committee studies impacts and recommends regulations.Vanderburgh County Ordinance CO.XX-26-XXX (2026)
What this means
It would temporarily stop the filing, review, and acceptance of data-center applications until December 31, 2026, or until zoning amendments are adopted, whichever comes first (applications would be deferred; the deferral’s end date). That creates a substantial short-term barrier to building or expanding data centers, although the measure does not permanently ban them and exempts computing equipment used only for a business’s own on-site IT needs.
Timing
- Ends
- 2026-12-31, or earlier when the Board of Commissioners formally adopts comprehensive zoning text amendments regulating data centers, whichever occurs first
The deferral applies to filing, processing, review, and acceptance of data-center applications. The Board may extend it by subsequent ordinance if additional study time is needed to protect the public interest.
People behind it
- Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners
Established and adopted the ordinance, appointed the committee, and oversees the research and deferral.
- Amy Canterbury
Moved the motion to approve the ordinance establishing the Data Center Research Committee.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2
Applications related to data center facilities are deferred: filing, processing, review, and acceptance are paused until December 31, 2026, or until the County adopts comprehensive zoning amendments regulating data centers, whichever occurs first. This does not apply to computing infrastructure used solely for a business’s internal, on-site IT needs as an accessory to that business. (applications ... shall be deferred; until December 31, 2026; internal%2C%20on-site%20IT%20needs)
The Board of Commissioners may extend the deferral by adopting a subsequent ordinance if more study time is needed to protect the public interest. (reserves the right to extend this ordinance)
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
Computing infrastructure used solely for an existing business’s internal, on-site IT needs is exempt from the ordinance’s deferral, provided it is accessory to the business and not a primary use of its own (“internal, on-site IT needs”).
Sources
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