Barren County Land Use committee reviews draft zoning ordinance
The Barren County Land Use Committee reviewed a draft zoning ordinance, including regulations for high-intensity technological infrastructure like data centers, in Barren County, Kentucky. This ordinance aims to establish county-wide zoning where none currently exists for such facilities outside incorporated cities. Separately, a one-year data center moratorium in Cave City is being challenged in court by the Kentucky Industrial Alliance.
The Barren County Land Use Committee held its inaugural meeting to review a comprehensive 100-page draft zoning ordinance for Barren County, Kentucky. The committee was established in response to community demand for regulations governing potential data center construction, as currently there are no specific zoning restrictions for high-intensity technological infrastructure outside the incorporated cities of Barren County.
While Glasgow and Park City classify data centers as heavy industry with conditional use, Cave City has enacted a one-year moratorium on data center applications, which is currently being challenged in court by the Kentucky Industrial Alliance. The draft ordinance, developed by the Joint City-County Planning Commission with assistance from consultant R.M. True of Kentucky Steward LLC, is intended to guide the county's first comprehensive zoning. Article 17 of the ordinance specifically addresses requirements for high-intensity technological infrastructure.
Planning Director Kevin Myatt outlined the committee's advisory role in refining the document before it proceeds to the Planning Commission for a public hearing, anticipated for September 21. Following the Planning Commission's approval, the ordinance will be forwarded to the Barren County Fiscal Court for final adoption, with no further changes allowed at that stage. The Land Use Committee is scheduled to meet again on September 3 to review Article 17 and any revisions to the draft.