Myatt, True layout draft countywide zoning ordinance
The Joint City-County Planning Commission in Barren County, Kentucky, is reviewing a draft countywide zoning ordinance. Consultant R.M. True presented sections addressing "high-intensity technological infrastructure" like data centers, emphasizing the need for disclosure and the risks of discriminatory bans. This ordinance aims to set regulations for future data center and solar farm developments in unincorporated areas.
R.M. True, an expert from Kentucky Steward LLC, presented a draft countywide zoning ordinance to the Joint City-County Planning Commission in Barren County, Kentucky. Hired to assist with regulations for data centers and solar farms, True discussed 16 pages of the proposed ordinance concerning "high-intensity technological infrastructure" (HITI). The draft incorporates public feedback gathered from four town halls and aims to establish rules for future developments in unincorporated areas of Barren County.
True cautioned the commission about potential legal vulnerabilities if an ordinance directly bans specific industries like hyper-scale data centers, stating that such bans are unlikely to withstand court challenges. He emphasized that any ordinance targeting HITI must require developers to publicly disclose project benefits, impacts on utilities, and environmental consequences before approval. The full draft ordinance will undergo review by the Barren County Land Use Planning Committee.