Members of the Munster Plan Commission tabled a controversial ordinance related to a Kenmara Technology Park planned-use development agreement during a packed meeting Tuesday.
Plan commission members also chose to give a neutral recommendation for updates to the town zoning code and potential adoption of a unified development ordinance.
At its August 11 meeting, the plan commission is expected to vote on amendments to Kenmara’s PUD to include data centers as a special exception use. Kenmara developers also seek to establish “bulk, density, design and process standards” within the PUD, according to plan commission documents.
Gary Warfel, development director for Saxon Partners, represented Kenmara Technology Park at Tuesday’s meeting. Warfel said there’s not yet a proposal for a data center at the property, but if there is, he added that it lacks space for a hyperscale facility.
Warfel also claimed that the special use requirements would put a “much higher standard” on potential future data centers at the site. Scott Yahne, the project’s attorney, also said any future applicants would have to meet standards about how the development would benefit the town.
Adoption of a unified development ordinance would include data center-related language by adding standards within a special exception framework “to regulate a fast growing industry,” according to Munster documents. Special exceptions are subject to applicable zoning regulations, development standards, site and development plan review processes and public hearings, according to a plan commission staff report.
The Munster Town Council must vote on the potential unified development ordinance. Their next meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 20.
The plan commission had to give some recommendation at its Tuesday meeting, according to state statute that requires action within 60 days, because the unified development ordinance was introduced in June, and the commission’s August meeting would fall outside the window.
The commission unanimously approved the neutral recommendation.
“I do believe we need to do some more work on the UDO,” said Councilman David Nellans, R-4th, also a commissioner. “I don’t believe it’s ready for primetime, and based on what the criteria is and what the actions are, I think it makes sense to send it with a neutral recommendation, and the council has more time to work on it.”
More than 50 people spoke at Tuesday’s plan commission meeting for either ordinance. People also protested outside Munster Town Hall along Ridge Road before the meeting.
“I work in commercial real estate development, and I deal with reading stuff like this all the time,” said Noah LaPorte, a Munster resident and protest organizer. “I started to read through the standards, and throughout time, I’ve been organizing a petition.”
His petition has more than 1,000 signatures, LaPorte said, adding that he presented 650 at the Munster Town Council’s meeting last week. Before the plan commission meeting, LaPorte said he planned to deliver about 450 signatures that day.
“As we started to go out and get signatures, we started out in the part of town that’s nearest to the development,” LaPorte said. “The saddest thing is that so many people didn’t even know it was happening. … 90% of people I talk to are vehemently against this, and they didn’t even know it was something being considered.”
Another Munster resident, Nemanja Lazarevic, protested before the meeting with his two daughters. Lazarevic said that if a data center came to Kenmara, his family would be directly affected by it.
“We don’t want the water pollution,” he said. “We don’t want the noise pollution, and we just don’t want a data center built in a residential area.”
Lazarevic has heard an overwhelming amount of residents against the unified development ordinance and changes to the Kenmara PUD. He hopes town officials listen to residents when making their decision.
“Nobody wants it,” Lazarevic said. “Wherever they have these data centers, the property values go down, people are moving out. It doesn’t bring anything good.”
Several Lansing, Illinois, residents attended Tuesday’s meeting in opposition to changes to the Kenmara PUD. The Kenmara Technology Park is located at the former Lansing Country Club and only has entrances from the Illinois side, even though the majority of its land is on the Indiana side.
Lansing resident Daniel Bovino said he learned about the proposed changes through Facebook posts. Bovino lives within a five-mile radius of the Kenmara tech park.
He believes most people who live nearby don’t know about the proposed changes.
“I had no idea,” Bovino said. “Last I heard, it was going to be a medical campus, and it sounded really nice. But then I heard data center, and I got really concerned.”
According to Post-Tribune archives, the Munster council approved the tech park’s initial ordinance in November for the Indiana portion of the country club property, located at the southwest corner of Fisher Street, Timrick Drive and Manor Avenue. It allows advanced computing, biotechnology sans “human cloning or stem cell research with embryonic tissue,” electronic device technology, engineering or laboratory testing related to the development of a product, technology “that assists in the assessment or prevention of threats or damage to human health or the environment,” medical device technology, product research and development, and advanced vehicle technology among businesses allowed in it.
Kathy Keener, another Lansing resident, said that if a data center were to be built at Kenmara, it would practically be in her front yard. She heard about the proposed changes about a month ago, Keener said.
Keener believes that people don’t realize that what affects Munster would also affect Lansing.
“Hopefully we can stop things from happening,” she said. “I feel bad for the Munster people because, on their side, they have homes where they’re raising kids. We’re a 55 and older adult condo association, but there’s Munster families who live right on the edge of the golf course.”
