At its September 8 meeting, the Lebanon City Council gave the green light to a trio of ordinances that will help pave the way for both critical utility upgrades and one of the region’s largest economic development projects: a 1,500-acre data center campus by Meta, formerly known as Facebook.
The council’s first order of business was to approve the vacation of old, unused alley rights-of-way adjacent to 700 West Chicago Street, the site of the city’s water treatment plant. The measure, described as a “clean-up item,” will allow Lebanon Utilities to move forward with planned upgrades. The rights-of-way, previously platted for residential use but never developed, will be formally transferred to the utility.
Next, the council unanimously approved a rezoning of the same property from residential (R4) to institutional. City staff explained that the water treatment plant had been operating as a legally non-conforming use under its previous zoning. The change brings the property into compliance and allows for future expansion.
The most significant discussion of the evening centered on Project Domino, the code name for Meta’s massive data center development. The council approved the vacation of portions of County Roads 325 West and 400 West, both of which run through the planned construction site north of State Road 32. The move is intended to facilitate the first phase of the project, which will ultimately include 15 buildings totaling nearly 5 million square feet.
City officials emphasized that affected residents were notified by mail, with additional information posted online and in local newspapers. During the public comment period, resident Jody Stewart voiced concerns about the use of public funds for what she argued were non-public purposes, referencing a previous cease and desist notice. Council members and legal counsel responded that all procedures were legal and proper, and that the road closures were necessary for the project’s progress.
With all three ordinances passing unanimously, Lebanon is poised to see significant investment in both public infrastructure and private-sector development.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for September 22 at 7:15 p.m.