Lexington city council fast-tracks action to prohibit data center development for another year
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council extended Fayette County’s moratorium on new data center development through Oct. 31, 2027, approving the measure in a fast-tracked vote. The council delayed separate proposals to create stricter, dedicated data center zoning rules until Oct. 22 to allow more public input, amid opposition linked to energy use, pollution and neighborhood impacts.
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council voted 11-0 to extend the countywide ban on new data center development through Oct. 31, 2027. The action follows a packed public hearing and extends a moratorium originally enacted after DartPoints announced plans to redevelop the former Lexmark campus in North Lexington with up to 70 megawatts of capacity for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Council members fast-tracked the moratorium extension but declined to do the same for related zoning measures. Those proposals would remove existing draft zoning language and direct city planners to develop a separate, more restrictive classification for data centers, potentially keeping them away from historically marginalized neighborhoods. The zoning items are scheduled for a second reading on Oct. 22, with council members citing the need for greater transparency and public participation.