How Indianapolis residents beat Google's $1 billion data center proposal

Hundreds of cheers erupted inside the Indianapolis City-County Council chambers on September 22, 2025, when Google's attorney announced the tech giant was withdrawing its $1 billion data center proposal. The dramatic last-minute reversal came just minutes before councilors were set to vote on the controversial project.

"We beat Google," said one woman in video footage of the celebration. "For a long time, we felt like four people with cardboard swords fighting a monster but tonight shows that people power still rings."

The victory in Franklin Township represents one of the first successful citizen campaigns against the wave of AI data centers sweeping across America. It demonstrates that organized communities can challenge even the world's largest tech companies when armed with facts, persistence, and unified opposition.

Secret project sparked immediate resistance

The fight began in March 2025 when an LLC called Deep Meadow Ventures filed rezoning requests for 468 acres of farmland on Indianapolis' southeast side. The company's identity remained concealed behind non-disclosure agreements that prevented even local officials from revealing who wanted to build in their community.

Andrew Filler moved to Franklin Township in 2017 seeking space for a small hobby farm. When he heard about the massive development planned near his property, he launched "Protect Franklin Township," a grassroots campaign to stop it.

"We are a large community, really in the dark, and it's really concerning," Filler said about the secrecy surrounding the proposal.

Documents obtained by WFYI in July 2025 revealed Google as the company behind Project Flo. The tech giant never officially confirmed its involvement, even as the controversy intensified.

Water and electricity fears mobilized neighbors

Brittany York moved to Franklin Township for more space and yard where she could watch the sunsets, but her property floods when it rains—sometimes up to her ankles. The proposed data center would sit right against her property line.

"People jokingly say they live in houseboats because they have to drive through water just to get to their house," York explained. She feared the massive development would worsen flooding, threatening the home she worked hard to enjoy.

Meredith Sharp runs an herbal skincare business on her three-acre property, growing product ingredients on her land just blocks from the proposed site. "If this were to pass, I'm going to lose my farm," Sharp said, worried the center would strain the water supply she depends on.

Sharp had spent her entire life working toward this property. "It will be destroyed," she said.

Data centers rank among the top 10 biggest water-consuming industries in the United States, according to research cited by opponents. Residents with well water had particular reason for alarm.

The facility would generate constant noise at 65 decibels—equivalent to a vacuum cleaner running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to Filler's analysis of the plans.

Research from Harvard University published in 2025 found that secret deals between utilities and tech companies can shift energy costs onto nearby residents. Franklin Township residents feared infrastructure upgrade expenses would fall on taxpayers.

Newly announced data center facilities in early 2024 required nearly 24 gigawatts of power—more than three times the capacity announced during the same period the previous year, according to energy analysts. That's enough electricity to supply tens of millions of U.S. households simultaneously.

Secrecy and NDAs fueled distrust

Michael-Paul Hart, the City-County Council member representing Franklin Township, signed a non-disclosure agreement related to the proposed data center, raising questions about how much information would be publicly available.

Hart, who works for a separate tech company and was elected in 2019, explained he signed the NDA "for one reason: to be included in the conversation."

"I talked to some folks, and then I had like two opinions, right?" Hart told WFYI in June. "One's telling me, 'Don't do it. It's public, you know, that should be open, and all these things.' And the other is saying, 'Well, you're not going to be in the conversation if you don't sign it.'"

The secrecy extended beyond elected officials. Franklin Township Schools superintendent Chase Huotari allegedly signed a non-disclosure agreement with Google after the district reversed its position to support the project, according to Hart's claims on social media.

Days before the scheduled vote, Franklin Township Community Schools announced support for the data center after previously opposing it. The district cited the need to expand its commercial tax base after facing a $2.4 million loss in local property tax revenue due to Governor Mike Braun's property tax relief plan.

"Franklin Township Superintendent sold out to Google for an undisclosed amount," Hart wrote on X. "Refused to inform me of the amount received from Google. Claimed he can't say because he signed an NDA."

The school district did not respond to requests for comment about the alleged NDA.

Limited jobs, massive tax breaks raised doubts

Hart argued the project would not provide the recurring tax base needed to fund education and infrastructure as Franklin Township grows. The data center would offer only a handful of permanent jobs while monopolizing more than 450 acres of developable land.

Under Indiana law, data centers can receive tax breaks lasting up to 50 years. Google's proposal included decades of tax abatements in exchange for approximately 50 permanent positions.

Councilor Ron Gibson, who supported the project, countered that the 400-acre parcel currently generated around $40,000 in tax revenue, while Google would generate $10.5 million annually. But opponents questioned whether those figures accounted for the long-term tax exemptions.

District 7 Councilor John Barth opposed the project, citing "major concerns about water use, enormous energy demands, noise and the long-term loss of land that could be used for housing or community projects".

District 15 Councilor Rena Allen stated: "The facility would significantly increase energy use and emissions, threaten our local water supply, and add heavy traffic that strains roads and infrastructure".

Months of organizing built unstoppable momentum

Filler's Protect Franklin Township campaign gathered more than 2,400 signatures on a petition opposing the development. The group held community meetings, distributed informational flyers, and coordinated testimony for public hearings.

Community leader Meredith Sharp explained that the September 22 vote would determine whether the public could continue to influence the decision, and that a lawsuit would be the next step if the council failed to block the project.

Julie Goldsberry, a leader with Protect Franklin Township, acknowledged the difficulty of fighting a "large and well-funded opponent" but vowed to "keep the pedal to the metal" because it was "critical to the future of all Marion County residents".

The August 21, 2025 hearing before the Metropolitan Development Commission drew packed crowds. After commissioners voted 8-1 to approve the rezoning, angry neighbors shouted "Sellouts!" and loud boos erupted inside the City-County Building.

But the commission's approval was only the first step. The proposal still required City-County Council approval, and by September, the majority of councilors had publicly declared opposition.

On September 8, approximately 60 protesters gathered outside the council meeting holding signs reading "Protect Franklin Township". The turnout continued building as the September 22 vote approached.

Google withdraws before final vote

Hundreds of people packed the council chambers and overflow rooms on September 22. Sharp said she was "constantly fighting a panic attack" over what would happen at the meeting.

Councilor Michael-Paul Hart surprised dozens of residents in the overflow room when he announced Google planned to withdraw, just minutes before the scheduled vote. Joseph Calderon, Google's local attorney, confirmed the news moments later.

The crowd erupted in celebration.

"We're overwhelmingly joyful," Sharp told reporters after the announcement.

Filler said he didn't expect Google to withdraw despite feeling ecstatic. The company can refile a rezoning petition in three months.

"We're going to be vigilant," Filler said. "We're going to protect our homes and keep our community game built up."

Hart noted that in his six years on the council, he had never seen both overflow rooms and the council chamber completely full. "That is an amazing testament of what just happened tonight," he said.

A Google spokesperson stated: "We have withdrawn the rezoning application for the proposed data center development in Franklin Township. While we are disappointed that this project is not moving forward, we look forward to continued opportunities for growth in the state".

Lessons for other communities

The Franklin Township victory came as other Indiana communities faced similar battles. In nearby Lebanon, a 1,500-acre Meta data center advanced through planning approvals despite local opposition. In Fort Wayne, Google received permission to build on protected wetlands for its $2 billion Project Zodiac campus after limiting public comment periods.

Filler told other communities facing data center proposals that they have the power to push back if they work together. "Go out, knock on your neighbor's door," he said. "It's time to go outside and see what you can learn."

The broader context makes their success even more remarkable. Data centers supporting AI development consume enormous quantities of electricity and water, with companies investing hundreds of billions in infrastructure expansion.

Meta's Georgia facilities have already caused water shortages in some communities, consuming approximately 10 percent of Newton County's total daily water supply. Europe faces similar infrastructure crises, with the Netherlands experiencing up to 10-year wait times for new data center grid connections.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett issued a statement after Google's withdrawal: "Indianapolis is a city where many come to grow, to innovate, and to thrive. With billions of dollars in ongoing development, significant investment in our economy, and our position as one of LinkedIn's 'cities on the rise', it is no wonder Google was interested in calling Indianapolis home".

The mayor emphasized the city remains "committed to working alongside business leaders and neighbors to continue attracting new investments that create quality jobs."

But for Franklin Township residents, the victory proved something more fundamental: that organized communities can still determine their own futures, even when facing the world's most powerful corporations.

Data centers aren't finished in Indiana. Google has a facility under construction in Fort Wayne. But the Franklin Township fight established a template for resistance that other communities are already studying.

As one unidentified resident said in the celebration video: "People power still rings."

Global data center crisis: Stories from the US and Europe

The Franklin Township victory is part of a larger global reckoning with AI infrastructure's environmental and social costs. Communities across the United States and Europe are confronting similar challenges as tech companies race to build massive data centers.

Meta's billion-dollar infrastructure push

Meta announced unprecedented AI infrastructure investment on July 14, 2025, planning "hundreds of billions of dollars" in gigawatt-scale data centers. The company's Prometheus cluster in New Albany, Ohio will deliver over 1 gigawatt capacity—enough to power approximately 750,000 homes continuously.

The even larger Hyperion facility in Richland Parish, Louisiana will eventually reach 5 gigawatts across 4 million square feet spanning 2,250 acres. CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the footprint as covering "a significant part of the footprint of Manhattan."

While Meta achieves industry-leading 0.20 L/kWh water usage effectiveness compared to the 1.80 L/kWh industry average, the absolute scale creates significant local impact. The company's existing data centers have already caused water shortages in some communities.

Georgia communities struggle with water depletion

Meta's Newton County facility uses approximately 10 percent of the county's total daily water consumption, according to Mike Hopkins, executive director of the Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority.

"What the data centers don't understand is that they're taking up the community wealth," Hopkins explained. "We just don't have the water".

The water authority struggles accommodating projects and associated tax revenue while preserving adequate resident water supplies. Their solution involves upgrading recycling facilities, which Hopkins described as a "race against the clock" costing over $250 million.

Data center companies rarely disclose water consumption figures, leaving policymakers without sufficient regulatory information, said Chris Manganiello, water policy director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. His research revealed one company requesting nine million gallons daily, equivalent to 30,000 household consumption.

Companies prioritize facilities in locations with cheap power over water availability, often selecting drought-stricken areas because electricity costs exceed water expenses for data center operations.

Europe's grid crisis intensifies

The Netherlands faces an electricity grid crisis forcing power rationing as AI data centers and electrification outpace infrastructure capacity. More than 11,900 businesses await connections, with some facing up to 10-year wait times—the longest among surveyed jurisdictions.

According to the International Energy Agency, Europe accounts for approximately 15% of global data center electricity consumption at 70 TWh in 2024, yet this figure is projected to grow by more than 45 TWh by 2030—a 70% increase.

Germany experiences up to 7-year delays for new connections, while the United Kingdom faces 5-7 year queues. Ireland has paused new data center connections in Dublin until 2030.

A typical AI-focused data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, while the largest facilities under construction today will consume 20 times that amount, according to International Energy Agency research.

Accelerated servers, primarily driven by AI technology adoption, are projected to grow by 30% annually according to IEA analysis, while conventional server electricity consumption growth remains at 9% per year.

Sustainability commitments clash with AI ambitions

Meta's September 2025 Sustainability Report presents a complex picture of environmental ambition shadowed by the reality of massive AI infrastructure demands. The company aims to achieve net zero emissions across its value chain and become water positive by 2030.

However, the July 2025 announcement of Prometheus and Hyperion data center clusters threatens to reverse gains through energy consumption equivalent to 4-5 million American homes annually.

Meta's transition to liquid cooling systems for AI workloads creates unprecedented water demands. The company's Air-Assisted Liquid Cooling architecture requires hundreds of thousands of gallons daily per facility.

European regulatory framework emerges

The Netherlands published its fifth AI and Algorithms Report on July 15, 2025, outlining critical developments in artificial intelligence regulation. The regulatory sandbox initiative will become operational by August 2026, providing supervised testing environments for AI systems under the European AI Act.

Energy consumption concerns gained prominence in regulatory discussions. According to research cited in the Dutch report, AI applications consume between 11 and 20 percent of global data center electricity.

The environmental impact extends beyond energy to include water consumption, with some estimates suggesting significant resource demands from AI processing operations.

Nuclear partnerships emerge as solution

Google announced on August 18, 2025, a landmark collaboration with Kairos Power and Tennessee Valley Authority to deploy the first Generation IV advanced nuclear reactor connected to the US electricity grid.

The partnership establishes a power purchase agreement enabling TVA to buy electricity from Kairos Power's Hermes 2 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, marking the first commercial deployment under Google's broader 500-megawatt nuclear capacity initiative.

Data centers currently account for 2% of US emissions at 105 million metric tons of carbon annually, with major tech companies investing hundreds of billions in AI infrastructure creating additional strain on electricity grids.

The Franklin Township victory demonstrates that citizens can successfully challenge these infrastructure projects when armed with information, community organizing, and determination. As AI demands accelerate globally, the template established by Indianapolis residents may prove essential for communities worldwide.

Timeline

March 2025

• Deep Meadow Ventures LLC files rezoning request for 468 acres in Franklin Township
• Company identity concealed behind non-disclosure agreements

May 2025

• Andrew Filler launches Protect Franklin Township campaign
• Petition against data center begins gathering signatures

June 2025

• Councilor Hart reveals he signed NDA to learn project details
• Public records request reveals resident concerns about transparency

July 2025

• Documents reveal Google as company behind project
• Opposition campaign intensifies with community meetings
• Meta announces unprecedented AI infrastructure investment
• Dutch grid crisis exposes Europe's infrastructure gap
• Netherlands publishes fifth AI regulation report

August 2025

• Google signs nuclear deal for data center power
• Metropolitan Development Commission votes 8-1 to approve rezoning
• Angry neighbors shout "Sellouts!" after vote
• Meta Georgia facility impacts community water supply

September 2025

• 60 protesters gather outside council meeting (Sept 8)
• Majority of councilors publicly declare opposition
• Franklin Township Schools reverses position (Sept 16)
• Hundreds pack chambers, Google withdraws (Sept 22)
• Meta releases sustainability report showing tension with AI expansion

Future

• Google can refile in three months (December 2025)
• Community organizers vow continued vigilance
• Netherlands regulatory sandbox launches August 2026
• Ireland may resume Dublin data center connections in 2030

Summary

Who: Franklin Township residents Andrew Filler, Meredith Sharp, Brittany York, Julie Goldsberry, and hundreds of community members; Protect Franklin Township grassroots organization; Councilor Michael-Paul Hart; Google/Deep Meadow Ventures LLC; Franklin Township Schools

What: Community organized sustained opposition to Google's $1 billion data center on 468 acres of farmland, forcing the tech giant to withdraw its rezoning application minutes before a scheduled City-County Council vote. The campaign succeeded through petition drives, public testimony, protests, and building majority council opposition over concerns about water consumption, electricity costs, environmental impacts, secrecy, and limited job creation.

When: Campaign began in March 2025 when rezoning request filed; intensified through summer 2025; victory achieved September 22, 2025, when Google withdrew before scheduled vote

Where: Franklin Township on southeast side of Indianapolis/Marion County, Indiana, near South Post Road and I-74 interchange; proposed site covered nearly 470 acres of farmland adjacent to residential neighborhoods

Why: Residents feared the data center would dramatically increase flooding, strain already-limited water supplies, raise electricity rates through cost-shifting, generate constant noise pollution, offer only 50 permanent jobs despite consuming 450+ acres, and receive decades of tax breaks while infrastructure costs fell on taxpayers. Secret NDAs preventing transparency about environmental and financial impacts fueled distrust and unified opposition across the community.