Residents and environmental groups are celebrating after the company that was seeking permission to build a data center in Pike Township withdrew its rezoning petition.
“There’s a growing movement in Indianapolis and across America, said Mike Oles III, co-director of the Forests for All Project. “A $82 billion corporation tried to build a data center in an urban forest our city says is environmentally sensitive. Neighbors pushed back. They stood up for clean air, trees and a liveable community and they stopped the data center.”
The rezoning petition was set to be heard Feb. 12 by the Metropolitan Development Commission hearing examiner. But in a Feb. 2 email, an attorney representing American Tower Corp. withdrew the petition to build a 20,000-square-foot data center on 7 acres of the company’s property at 7701 Walnut Drive.
Although the company has withdrawn its petition, the project isn’t necessarily dead. American Tower says it will consider reapplying once the city sets data center regulations.
“American Tower withdrew its rezoning application for the proposed build of a computing facility at our existing telecommunications tower site. This decision was made after being informed that the city of Indianapolis is currently revising its zoning regulations. American Tower would prefer to review the project after this process has been completed,” the company said, in part, in a statement to Mirror Indy.
At the Jan. 14 Pike Township Residents Association meeting, District 1 Councilor Leroy Robinson asked company representatives if they’d be willing to pull their petition while councilors considered setting regulations on data centers. The company said at the time it would consider doing so.
The city took the first step in regulating data centers Jan. 28, when the Environmental Sustainability Committee met to hear testimony from experts and residents about what they should consider in future data center policy decisions.
District 7 Councilor John Barth said councilors would consider “multiple ideas and concepts” moving forward, and District 12 Councilor Vop Osili, a Democrat who is running for mayor in 2027, said he is working on a proposal that sets guardrails and regulates where data centers can be built.
Robinson said he was grateful to the residents and constituents who stayed engaged and brought their concerns forward.
“Community input matters, and this outcome reflects the importance of listening to the people who live in and care about Pike Township,” Robinson said through a city spokesperson. “I remain committed to supporting thoughtful development in Pike Township, development that is transparent, aligns with community values, and balances economic growth with quality of life.”
Chaya Traphagan, who has lived near the proposed data center site for over 20 years, said the natural areas left in her neighborhood should be protected. She said she will fight the data center petition again if the company reapplies.
“This used to be one of the largest undeveloped plots of land in Marion County,” she said. “Don’t allow for development of the remaining wooded land. Protect our neighborhoods, protect our forest, protect our wildlife, protect our environment and most importantly protect Pike Township.”
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Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social.
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