Fayette County residents push back on data center zoning plan
Fayette County residents are opposing proposed data center zoning recommendations and are calling for a one- or two-year extension of the existing moratorium. DART Point, which recently acquired property for a planned data center campus, said its project would use a closed-loop water system and has sufficient power capacity.
Residents at a Lexington-Fayette meeting criticized proposed zoning recommendations for hyperscale data centers, citing potential noise, water, energy, financial and air-quality impacts. Opponents urged officials to extend the existing moratorium for up to two years, potentially ban facilities larger than 25 megawatts if harms are documented, and adopt tighter limits on noise, utility use and licensing.
Other speakers argued that data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure could support future economic growth. DART Point, which recently acquired more than 300,000 square feet for a planned data center campus, said through a representative that its design would use a closed-loop water system, would not create a significant noise threat and already has power available. The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council plans to continue discussions, including a possible one-year moratorium extension and rules governing where data centers may be built.