‘Why in our backyard?’: Neighbors push back on proposed Lexington data center as council takes up recommendations
Residents in Lexington, Kentucky, are pushing back against a proposed data center by DartPoints, citing concerns over health and noise impacts. The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Planning Commission has forwarded recommendations for stricter data center ordinances, including size and noise limits, to the city council. A current moratorium on data center development, impacting the DartPoints project, is set to expire soon.
Residents near a proposed data center site in Lexington, Kentucky, are voicing strong opposition as the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Planning Commission has advanced recommendations for stricter data center regulations to the city council.
The planning commission held a nearly six-hour meeting, with over two hours dedicated to public comment where residents expressed their concerns. Rolanda Woolfork, vice president of the Georgetown Street Neighborhood Association, highlighted fears about potential health and noise impacts, questioning the urgency and location of the proposed development. Residents reported a lack of communication from the developer.
The commission's recommendations, which will now go before the city council, include capping data centers at 40,000 square feet (smaller than originally proposed), imposing a 30-decibel noise limit, and requiring greater distances from residential areas. This discussion was prompted by DartPoints' intent to develop a data center at a former Lexmark property on West New Circle Road. The DartPoints project is currently on hold due to a city council moratorium, which is scheduled to expire on October 31 but can be extended.