Second lawsuit filed over proposed data center in Simpson County

A second lawsuit has been filed in Simpson County, Kentucky, regarding a proposed AI data center by TenKey LandCo. The local group, Franklin Citizens for Responsible Development, is seeking a judicial order to overturn the preliminary development plan that the Franklin Planning and Zoning Commission approved in March. The citizens' group argues that the commission lacked the authority to grant this approval, citing a previous 2025 decision where the commission rejected a zoning text amendment for data centers and power generation, stating such projects required a conditional-use process handled by the Franklin Board of Adjustments. Despite this prior stance, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved TenKey LandCo's preliminary plan last month, with stipulations for more information before final approval. The lawsuit alleges this approval was "arbitrary, capricious, and inconsistent" with the City of Franklin Zoning Ordinance. Opponents, including Riley Bright of Bright’s Antique World, express concerns about noise and light pollution, pollutant emissions, and strain on local water and resources from the proposed 200-acre campus near I-65, which includes on-site power manufacturing. In a separate legal action, TenKey LandCo is suing Simpson County over an ordinance that requires the company to obtain a conditional use permit, a measure intended to provide greater local control over the data center's operation. The developer plans to construct three 200,000-square-foot facilities over three years on Steele Road near Exit 2 on I-65.