Lexington community voices opposition to data centers at packed town hall
Lexington residents expressed strong opposition to data center developments at a packed town hall meeting. The city council recently enacted a four-month moratorium on data center permits after learning about a private sale of a Lexmark property to Dallas-based Dart Point for a hyperscale data center project. Concerns were raised about the impact on health and the environment, and the adequacy of the current moratorium.
The Lexington community recently convened at a packed town hall meeting to voice widespread opposition to the development of data centers in the city. District One Council Member Tyler Martin, an organizer of the "Data Center Boom Engagement Meeting," stated that this gathering was just the beginning of efforts to engage the public and record their comments on the issue, with a formal policy process scheduled for early June.
The public outcry follows the revelation that Dallas-based company Dart Point purchased a Lexmark property for the purpose of building a hyperscale data center. City leaders indicated they were surprised by this private transaction, learning about it through media outlets along with the general public. In response, the city council quickly enacted a four-month moratorium on data center permits and related changes.
However, many residents at the town hall, including IBM retiree Sarah Captain Myer, expressed concerns that the four-month moratorium is insufficient. Myer, who highlighted the previous care IBM and Lexmark took for the property and neighbors, criticized Dart Point's acquisition as happening "in the dark of night." The consensus among speakers at the event was overwhelmingly against data centers coming to Lexington, with residents worrying about the potential impact on public health and the environment.