Maysville Planning Commission Addresses Citizen Concerns About Data Center

The Maysville Planning Commission recently held a meeting where new members Luis Lopez and Kamron Miller were welcomed, but the primary focus quickly shifted to an off-agenda discussion regarding a local data center project. Citizens present voiced significant concerns, prompting Chairman Ken Outcalt to address various aspects of the data center's development.

Key issues raised included the location of the data center's wastewater treatment plant, the process for enforcing noise ordinances, and the validity of permits issued. Outcalt clarified that a conditional use permit has been issued, but a building permit for two proposed structures is still pending and contingent on the project meeting all environmental, noise, and water use criteria defined in the city's code. He emphasized the city's ability to mandate design changes if code requirements are not met.

Further questions delved into the city's agreement with the developers, which Outcalt described as a verbal contract, asserting that the city could still require specific design plans. Concerns about water usage were also paramount, with Outcalt confirming that the data center is prohibited from using city water and will implement its own cooling system. The commission was also asked about oversight reports, to which Outcalt stated reliance on the city's engineering firm due to the commission's lack of funds for independent evaluations. The change in property ownership from Northern Data to Rumble was also noted, with Outcalt stating it does not alter the conditional use permit.

Separately, Outcalt mentioned that the planning commission has not yet been consulted on a resolution to create a 180-day moratorium on data centers. The meeting also covered other routine zoning matters and reviewed the planning commission's advisory role to the city council.