Georgetown council votes to draft ordinance banning data centers
The Georgetown City Council unanimously voted to draft an ordinance to ban data centers, citing concerns over water, land, and infrastructure. This proposed ordinance, which would also define hyperscale data centers, will require approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The action follows Scott County's recent extension of its data center moratorium.
The Georgetown City Council in Kentucky has unanimously voted to instruct legal counsel to prepare an ordinance that would ban data centers within the city limits. The proposed ordinance will also include a definition for "hyperscale data centers." This decision was prompted by council members' concerns regarding the potential impact of data centers on Georgetown's resources.
Councilmember Karen Tingle-Sames highlighted the city's limitations, stating that Georgetown lacks the necessary water, land, and infrastructure to support a data center. Mayor Burney Jenkins expressed a desire to focus the ban on large-scale facilities while avoiding impact on smaller operations, and also emphasized the need for preparedness against potential legal challenges to a total ban. The drafted ordinance would require approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
This move by Georgetown follows a recent action by the Scott County Fiscal Court, which last week extended its own data center moratorium until March.