Scott County extends data center moratorium until March
The Scott County Fiscal Court voted to extend a moratorium on data center regulations until March, allowing more time for officials to finalize rules. This decision follows significant public concern and aims to create a robust regulatory framework, including provisions for water, power, and noise, rather than implementing an outright ban.
The Scott County Fiscal Court in Kentucky has voted to extend its moratorium on data center regulations, pushing the expiration date from December to March. The extension provides the Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission additional time to finalize a comprehensive set of rules governing data center development within the county.
This decision comes one week after local residents packed a public planning meeting, expressing significant concerns about the potential impacts of data centers on their community. Scott County Judge-Executive Joe Covington stated that the extension is crucial for gathering public feedback and conducting research before presenting viable options to the planning commission.
County leaders, supported by legal counsel and the Kentucky Resources Council, believe that implementing clear regulations is a more effective approach than an outright ban, which could be legally challenged and leave the county unprotected. Planning Commission Director Holden Flemming echoed this sentiment, highlighting the risk of having no regulations if a ban were to be struck down in court.
Covington anticipates that the final ordinance will restrict data center operations to a limited amount of space in heavy industrial zones and require a conditional permit to mitigate impacts on neighbors. The planning commission is reportedly already incorporating community feedback into the draft, with planned regulations addressing water and power usage, as well as stricter noise limits, to protect the community's way of life.