McCanna Alliance of Neighborhood Associations General Membership Meeting - July 20, 2026

The McCanna Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations held its general membership meeting on Saturday, July 20, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at North United Methodist Church. The meeting covered data center developments, a neighborhood permit enforcement complaint, and a presentation from new IMPD Chief Tanya Terry on the department's strategic plan and crime trends.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dwayne Giles, a resident of the 1900 block of Lamoni Avenue for over 50 years, expressed anger and frustration over what he described as selective enforcement by the city's permit and inspection department. He stated that he was sued by the city for building a back porch without a permit, despite observing numerous nearby construction projects without permits. He alleged racial targeting, noting that only five original Black families remain in his neighborhood, and asked for a face-to-face meeting with the head of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) to get a written explanation. Councilman Jesse Brown noted that his office had tried to set up such a meeting but was told the director claimed permits were pulled for the other properties, which Mr. Giles disputed. Pat Andrews, the meeting chair, suggested using the RequestIndy app or Mayor's Action Center to file complaints about neighbors, and noted that city employees may not speak directly to residents once a case is in litigation.

Discussion Items

• Data Center Overview and Moratorium Update: Pat Andrews provided a detailed update on data center proposals across Marion County. The first major application was a 1-gigawatt Google data center in Franklin Township, which was withdrawn after the council called it down. Next was a 75-megawatt data center in Martindale Brightwood, approved by the Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) and now in court; a tax abatement package worth $56 million for that project is scheduled for an MDC vote on August 5, 2026. A 250-megawatt data center in Decatur Township was approved via a variance of use (rather than rezoning) and is also being challenged in court. A 50-megawatt data center in Irvington was approved by the MDC on July 15, 2026, also via variance of use. Andrews noted that the city administration had begun a public process to draft a data center ordinance, but the resulting ordinance was weak. The Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee of the City-County Council voted 10–3 on July 12 to replace the proposed ordinance with a moratorium on new data centers until December 31, 2027. That amendment will go to the full council on August 10, 2026, and if approved, must return to the MDC. Andrews and others expressed concern that without a moratorium in effect, new data center applications could be filed and grandfathered under current rules. Several attendees, including Councilor Brown, noted that the mayor had recently expressed support for a moratorium on social media. A neighborhood benefit agreement for Martindale Brightwood is still being negotiated, with a proposed commitment of $4.5 million in year one and $2 million annually for the next 10 years.
• IMPD Strategic Plan and Crime Data Presentation: Chief Tanya Terry, sworn in February 2026, presented the department's new five-year strategic plan, developed with input from over 2,800 community members and 1,500 employees. The three strategic priorities are: (1) fostering a workplace that supports health and professional growth of officers and staff, including recruitment, retention, wellness, and leadership development; (2) enhancing community safety through mutual support, trust, and understanding, with sub‑priorities of visibility, authentic communication, and community partnerships (including youth diversion programs and mental health co-response); and (3) investing in department infrastructure—technology, facilities, equipment, and organizational structure. Chief Terry reported that as of July 20, homicides are down approximately 24% compared to the same time last year, overall violent crime down 29%, property crime down 13% (burglaries down 22%), and total crime down 16%. She noted the department is down over 350 officers from full strength but credited the reductions to focused deterrence and community partnerships. She announced that the August recruit class will have 36 officers, the highest number in years, and the December class is expected to be even larger. She also addressed recruitment challenges, including competition from suburban agencies, and highlighted efforts to improve the hiring process and support officer morale.

Key Outcomes

• The City-County Council's Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee voted 10–3 to replace the proposed data center ordinance with a moratorium until December 31, 2027. The full council will consider the amendment on August 10, 2026. If passed, it must also be approved by the MDC, which could potentially reverse the change.
• The MDC is scheduled to vote on a $56 million tax abatement for the Martindale Brightwood data center on August 5, 2026. The abatement is not subject to council approval because the site is not in a TIF district.
• IMPD will begin its 36th recruit class in August 2026 with 36 recruits, the largest class in several years.
• Chief Terry urged residents to use online platforms to file complaints or compliments about officers and to engage with their district commanders. She also noted that National Night Out is scheduled for August 5, 2026, and she plans to attend events across the county.