Bowling Green city leaders give final approval to zoning restrictions on data centers

The Bowling Green City Commission has officially adopted new zoning regulations for potential data center projects, a move that places restrictions on aspects such as energy and water consumption, noise, and light pollution. This decision comes despite significant public outcry and protest from residents and advocacy groups like SOKY Indivisible and the Bowling Green-Warren County NAACP, who have repeatedly urged the city to impose a moratorium on data center development.

For the second time, the city commission voted against a proposed six-month temporary ban, with Commissioners Melinda Hill, Sue Parrigin, and Mayor Todd Alcott opposing the moratorium. Commissioner Parrigin cited concerns about potential legal issues and the inability of a moratorium to prevent private land sales for data center conversions. Opponents, including resident Sonja Griffith and Phyllis Massingale of SOKY Indivisible, argued that regulations are insufficient and that data centers offer minimal long-term employment, primarily benefiting large corporations.

Warren County Fiscal Court is also in the process of considering similar zoning ordinances, with a final vote expected soon. City officials emphasized that these regulations are pre-emptive, as no data center projects are currently under consideration in Bowling Green. However, local opponents expressed feeling excluded from the process, highlighting Commissioner Parrigin's statements about due diligence being handled by paid professionals rather than public input. Following the commission's vote to adopt the regulations, Commissioner Dana Beasley-Brown reintroduced the moratorium ordinance, which again failed to pass, leading to chants of 'vote them out!' from the protesting crowd.