Burgin City Council votes on joining planning commission in data center fight
The Burgin City Council in Mercer County, Kentucky, held a contentious meeting regarding a proposed data center. The council voted to join the Planning and Zoning Commission to establish regulatory control over the project, with the mayor casting the tie-breaking vote. Further discussion on an annexation plan was postponed due to a lack of a quorum.
The Burgin City Council in Mercer County, Kentucky, experienced another heated evening as residents debated a proposed data center development, dubbed "Project Bluegrass." The meeting saw a packed room of both supporters and opponents. Developers, identified as "Peta Toney," faced sharp criticism from community members while presenting their plans.
A key vote involved the City Council's decision on whether to join the Planning and Zoning Commission. The vote resulted in a tie, with Mayor Satterly casting the deciding vote in favor of joining the commission. Mayor Satterly stated that this move would allow the city to establish some regulatory control over data centers, especially after attempts to annex over 1,000 acres in July were declared null and void.
The council then moved to discuss a draft annexation plan. However, the vote on this plan was postponed to a later date due to two council members leaving because of their affiliations, resulting in a lack of a quorum.
Residents, like one unnamed individual who lives in Burgin with a nearby farm, expressed concerns that the data center could negatively impact their horses. While celebrating the outcome of the initial vote, they emphasized that the fight against the data center is far from over.