Versailles City Council enacts moratorium on data centers through 2026
The Versailles City Council unanimously voted to enact a moratorium on data center development, effective until December 31, 2026. This proactive measure aims to give the city time to study potential impacts and amend local ordinances, despite no specific development proposals currently existing. Mayor Laura Dake cited Lexington's similar moratorium as inspiration and anticipates strong public opposition should data centers be proposed in the future.
The Versailles City Council unanimously voted to enact a moratorium on data center development, effective until December 31, 2026. This decision prevents the planning commission and local government from considering any permits, approvals, or development plans for data centers within the city.
Versailles Mayor Laura Dake explained that this is a proactive measure, taken despite no specific data center companies having approached the city. She noted a 150-acre industrial tract along U.S. 60 that could be attractive to future developers, prompting her to consider the ban. Mayor Dake was inspired by a similar moratorium recently enacted by Lexington's city government, which followed the unexpected sale of a former Lexmark property to a data center developer.
The temporary halt in development will allow Versailles time to study the potential impacts of data centers on the community and provide an opportunity to amend local ordinances. Although residents declined to speak on camera, Mayor Dake indicated that several have expressed concerns about community impact and predicted significant public opposition if data centers were to be proposed in the future.