Community and Development Services to host data center zoning forum
Hopkinsville's Community and Development Services is hosting a forum to discuss a proposed amendment to the data center zoning ordinance. The amendment introduces new size classifications for data centers, establishes power caps based on electrical load, and increases setback distances from adjacent properties. It also specifically prohibits hyper-scale data centers within Hopkinsville.
The Community and Development Services (CDS) in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, is preparing to host a public forum to discuss a significant amendment to the city's proposed data center zoning ordinance. This initiative comes as data centers become more prevalent nationwide, prompting local officials to establish clearer regulations for development within Hopkinsville.
The proposed amendment introduces a new classification system for data centers based on both their physical footprint and electrical load. It defines small-scale facilities as less than 10,000 square feet with an electrical load under five megawatts, medium-scale as under 20,000 square feet and 20 megawatts, and large-scale as less than 50,000 square feet and 75 megawatts. Notably, the draft ordinance explicitly prohibits the construction of hyper-scale data centers in Hopkinsville, classifying them as those surpassing the large-scale thresholds.
Further stipulations in the amendment include new setback requirements, which vary depending on the data center's scale and the surrounding land use. Small-scale data centers would require a minimum 100-foot setback, medium-scale 200 feet, and large-scale 500 feet. These distances are further increased if adjacent properties are designated for residential, public, or quasi-public use. The forum, a follow-up to a previous public discussion in July, aims to gather community input on these proposed changes, with the full amendment available for review on the comdev-services.com website.