Tippecanoe County, IN Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Size threshold
- 10,000 sq ft gross floor area
- Added by
- Amendment 123
- Cross-referenced standards
- § 4-10 Industrial Performance Standards
- Sunset date
- Category ends November 30, 2026
- Governing sections
- UZO §§ 1-10-2, 3-2
Summary
Tippecanoe County's zoning code splits data centers by size: any facility over 10,000 square feet of gross floor area is a 'Large Data Center,' a use category added by Amendment 123 that carries its own Permitted Use Table listing but is set to disappear from that table on November 30, 2026.
DATA CENTER. A physical facility composed of one or more buildings totaling 10,000 square feet of gross floor area or less housing networked computer servers used for data storage and processing, along with related supportive equipment including but not limited to backup power generators and cooling devices. (Amend 123) ... LARGE DATA CENTER. A physical facility composed of one or more buildings totaling over 10,000 square feet of gross floor area housing networked computer servers used for data storage and processing, along with related supportive equipment including but not limited to backup power generators and cooling devices. (Amend 123) ... 75. This land use category shall cease to exist in the Permitted Use Table as of November 30, 2026. (Amend. 123)
Full Breakdown
The Unified Zoning Ordinance added data center land uses to its Section 1-10-2 definitions and Section 3-2 Permitted Use Table by Amendment 123. ' The 10,000-square-foot line is the whole test: it does not turn on server count, power draw, or acreage, only on the gross floor area of the buildings housing the servers and their backup power and cooling equipment. Both listings in the Section 3-2 Permitted Use Table carry a Special Conditions cross-reference to Section 4-10, the ordinance's Industrial Performance Standards chapter, which governs air pollution, glare and heat, vibration, and noise from industrial-type uses.
' Any large data center use established before that date would need to be evaluated as a nonconforming use, or the Area Plan Commission would need to re-adopt the category by further amendment, once the footnote takes effect.
Violations & Fines
A data center built or expanded outside the Section 3-2 use listing's conditions is enforced the same as any other zoning noncompliance: the Administrative Officer issues a written Notice of Zoning Violation under Section 6-3-2 citing the specific sections violated and giving 15 days to comply, appeal to the Area Board of Zoning Appeals, or negotiate a compliance timeline before liens or a lawsuit under I.C. 36-1-6 follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a data center 'large' under Tippecanoe County zoning?
What standards apply to a data center once it's built?
Is the Large Data Center use permanent?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tippecanoe County
Compare Tippecanoe County to another location·View the Indiana data centers & crypto mining overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.