By TIM SPEARS
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
The property owners who have agreed to sell a large piece of farmland in Franklin Township in Marion County to Google for a data center believe it’s the best option available for the land.
Kevin Pelko, who owns the proposed data center site, said, “I wish we could back up time to 1966 and there wouldn’t be any thought of this, but times change.”
About to turn 69 in November, Kevin said he’s ready to retire and doesn’t want an unexpected health issue to leave his wife, Cathy Pelko, caring for hundreds of acres of farmland by herself.
Kevin’s also frustrated with what he sees as a growing disrespect for local farmers, telling News 8 that it’s common for people to hunt or drive their four-wheelers through his land without permission. “The community’s changing. This is no longer a farm-friendly neighborhood.”
The Pelkos said potential buyers have reached out in the past, but the couple had several criteria for suitors to meet: an American buyer, no high-density housing, and a commitment to improve the land along the roads.
Cathy said, “Basically, how it was going to leave [the land] and benefit the neighborhood was the most important thing to us.”
They told News 8 a then-unknown buyer, since identified as Google, reached out about the property in the summer of 2024. They weren’t told it was Google, or the site would be developed into a data center, but could ask questions until they were satisfied.
“I think Google would be a good community partner,” Kevin said.
Some neighbors still aren’t satisfied, displaying signs in their front yards protesting the data center.
Opposition has swelled to the point that City-County Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, who represents that portion of Franklin Township, called down the rezoning petition for a council vote that will be made Monday.
A Google spokesman told News 8 in a statement:
“These are complex projects and development of the site is subject to a variety of factors. We appreciate the collaboration with both local and state leadership as we evaluate the opportunity together.”
On Wednesday afternoon, representatives for Google met with Hart and a “remonstrance group” representing opposition to the project to find possible compromises. Hart said it’s a standard part of the process when votes are called down to the council.
The most vocal opposition has been over utilities. According to Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development documents from May, water provider Citizens Energy has indicated from two million to three million gallons of water is available to the project on a “max day,” and Google is working with electricity utility AES Indiana to complete generation studies to ensure power to the site.
The Pelkos believe Google has addressed the concerns over utilities, and are enthusiastic about 93 acres of green space planned and the 150-foot setbacks to keep the data center generally out of the way.
Google representatives told Metropolitan Development that they planned to keep the land between Ficher Ditch and Troy Avenue as open space and create a multiuse path along Troy Avenue.
Cathy said, “I guess the most frustrating thing for me is that you ask somebody [against the project] ‘What do you want?’ Well, they don’t want warehouses, they don’t want high-density housing. What they want is a farm, or two- to three-acre lots with houses, and that absolutely will not happen here.”
Kevin said, “It’s called progress. It happens. You can’t stop it.”
The Pelkos said a nondisclosure agreement prevents them from revealing the sale price, but said Google’s purchase is contingent on the city government approving the rezoning.
This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/i-team-8/google-data-center-franklin-township.
