Breaking down Bowling Green’s proposed data center restrictions
Warren County leaders and the city-county planning commission have shared proposed data center restrictions for Bowling Green, Kentucky, as part of the 2026 zoning ordinance amendments. These restrictions, developed over a year, aim to protect the community from negative impacts related to utility usage, environmental concerns, and proximity to residential properties. Final readings are scheduled for the Bowling Green city commission and Warren County fiscal court in late June.
Warren County leaders and the city-county planning commission in Bowling Green, Kentucky, have unveiled proposed data center restrictions set to be incorporated into the 2026 zoning ordinance amendments. These measures follow a year of extensive research, including visits to other communities hosting data centers, aimed at mitigating potential negative impacts on residents and infrastructure. Ben Peterson, executive director of the city-county planning commission, stated that while the commission cannot legally prohibit data centers, it can impose strict regulations to safeguard the community.
The proposed amendments address critical concerns such as the distance data centers can be from residential properties, mandatory decommissioning requirements for developers, and stringent utility restrictions. Peterson highlighted the importance of these utility-related rules to protect against excessive water usage, environmental degradation, and electricity demands, requiring developers to disclose all planned resource consumption upfront. Currently, data centers are classified under general industrial use, making it challenging to regulate them without specific ordinances.
Both the county and city have completed their first readings of the new ordinance. The Bowling Green city commission is scheduled to hold its second reading on Tuesday, while the Warren County fiscal court will conduct its final reading on June 25th. Further information on the 2026 zoning ordinance changes is available on the warrenpc.org website.