Elizabethtown passes regulations on data centers
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, city planners have passed new regulations that limit data centers to accessory uses only, preventing standalone hyperscale facilities. Data centers will be capped by square footage and must be secondary to another business, with stricter rules in commercial areas. This proactive measure was taken before any data center projects were proposed, as the city opted for regulations over a moratorium.
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, has enacted new regulations regarding data center development within the city. City planners voted to restrict data centers to "accessory uses" only, meaning they cannot be built as standalone hyperscale facilities. Instead, they must be small, secondary operations to existing businesses like banks or industrial sites, and their square footage will be capped. These limits will be more stringent in commercial zones compared to industrial areas.
The E-town Director of Planning and Development stated that the city opted for strict regulations as a proactive measure, deciding against a moratorium, which they viewed as merely delaying the issue. This decision was made despite no data center projects currently being proposed in Elizabethtown, underscoring the city's intention to establish a framework before any specific developments arise.