Residents voice concerns at Lexington data center public listening session
Lexington residents urged the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council to extend the city’s data center moratorium and adopt stronger rules before allowing hyperscale facilities. Proposed regulations would address data center size, noise and setbacks from residential areas, while residents raised concerns about electricity costs, water supplies and neighborhood impacts.
Dozens of Lexington residents spoke at a public listening session about the future of data center development in the city. Many urged the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council to extend a moratorium adopted in June, which was scheduled to expire at the end of October, while some called for a complete ban on hyperscale and artificial intelligence data centers.
Business representatives and other speakers acknowledged the economic and technological opportunities associated with data centers but cautioned against restrictions that could eliminate future growth opportunities. The Lexington Planning Commission’s recommendations include limits on facility size and noise, as well as minimum distances from residential areas. After several hours of public comment, the council added discussion of zoning changes to its Oct. 8 meeting agenda.