Google's Proposed Data Center in Southeast Indianapolis

The project proposes a nearly 468-acre data center off I-74 and Post Road. Franklin Township neighbors are fighting against the land being rezoned for the multinational technology company's project, which is to be considered by the Metropolitan Development Commission on July 16.

"We figured that eventually the land would be sold, but not to a data center," said Teresa Cooper, who has lived along Davis Road for 31 years. She and her family are concerned about having to daily look at the data center and the noise it will create.

A rendering in the document shows Google will put up a berm topped with trees in an attempt to shield the data center from view. Cooper said, "That's nice, but it doesn't compare to what we look at every day, which is a nice open field. We see great sunsets. That's what attracted us to moving out here."

The Coopers are also concerned about the noise the data center will create. "We were at a meeting and they had a recording of 65 decibels, and we were in a building, of course, and it was to me very loud," Cooper said.

According to Yale Environmental Health and Safety, 65 decibels falls within the range of a normal conversation. The Coopers would like to see something else go in across the street, such as restaurants, medical centers, shopping centers, or even a park.

The family isn't confident their community's fight to stop the data center from coming will be successful. "I'm sure it's a done deal. I feel like we go to these meetings, we give our input, but they're really not listening," Cooper said.