Council hears data center comments in public hearing
The Murray City Council held a public hearing for a proposed data center ordinance aimed at regulating future facilities. Residents voiced significant concerns, urging stronger environmental protections, mandatory risk management, and even a complete moratorium on data centers, leading the council to refer the ordinance back to a committee for further review without immediate action.
The Murray City Council convened a special meeting for a public hearing on a proposed ordinance designed to regulate data centers within the city. The meeting, which drew a smaller crowd than an earlier Planning Commission hearing, saw several residents voice strong concerns about the draft regulations.
Mayor Bob Rogers detailed the ordinance's development, which included input from the Kentucky Resources Council and revisions following a June 9 Planning Commission public hearing. A week-long moratorium on data center applications was enacted on June 11 to allow the Planning Commission to incorporate public feedback, leading to a revised ordinance presented on June 16. The City Council's first reading occurred on June 18.
Speakers at the latest hearing urged the council to strengthen the proposed regulations. Tara Lynn Kallaher, an expert in liability risk, advocated for mandatory risk management requirements within the ordinance itself, rather than through conditional use permits, to protect taxpayers from potential incident costs. Brandy Valentine called for postponing adoption, citing "severe, dangerous structural flaws" in the current draft regarding development slopes, setbacks, generator rules, and water management.
Other residents, including Ken Wolf, expanded the discussion to include data privacy concerns, while Terry McCreary urged consideration of a complete moratorium on data centers, referencing noise and water pollution disputes in other states. Ron Hargrove questioned job creation and expressed concerns about noise, chemicals, water use, and electricity demand, citing "adverse condition for the residents of Murray, Kentucky." The council took no immediate action, referring the ordinance to a committee for further review.