Mercer County residents get partial victory after data center ordinance denied
Mercer County residents achieved a partial victory after the Fiscal Court denied an ordinance that would have permitted a data center next to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. The court had previously enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center construction and returned the ordinance to planning and zoning for further protections. Residents and Shaker Village leadership expressed concerns about the project's impact on the rural environment, tourism, and historical site.
The Mercer County Fiscal Court denied an ordinance that would have allowed a data center to be built adjacent to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, a popular resort and historic tourist site in central Kentucky. This decision marks a partial victory for residents who have been actively opposing the project, with a large crowd applauding the court's vote.
Shaker Village CEO, who spoke at the meeting, confirmed the village owns land overlapping the proposed area but has no intention of selling it. Residents voiced concerns about the data center's potential impacts on the rural environment, local tourism, and historical integrity of the area. Earlier this summer, the Mercer County Fiscal Court had already passed a one-year moratorium on new data center construction.
While the ordinance to permit the data center was denied, it was also returned to planning and zoning, indicating that more protections need to be added for future development. Panaton Data, the developer, stated prior to the meeting that they recognized the historic and cultural importance of Shaker Village and had designed the project with significant setbacks, landscaping, and buffers to minimize impacts, leaving over 400 acres undeveloped.