Woodford County takes steps to prohibit data center development
Woodford County Fiscal Court unanimously voted to direct the county attorney to draft an ordinance that would prohibit data center development in unincorporated areas. The court also requested its planning commission review zoning and land-use regulations. This proactive measure aims to protect farmland and conserve resources, with the ordinance set for review on July 14.
The Woodford County Fiscal Court in Kentucky has unanimously voted to draft an ordinance to prohibit data center construction and operation within its unincorporated areas. Magistrate Liles Taylor introduced the motion, which also included a request for the county's planning commission to review its zoning and land-use regulations. This action is proactive, as no data center projects are currently publicly proposed for Woodford County, but officials, including Judge-Executive James Kay, are concerned about potential strain on resources and the preservation of farmland.
Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift expressed concerns about the high energy consumption of data centers, noting that Midway has been identified as an area with high-voltage power lines. The proposed ordinance is being developed in collaboration with the City of Midway. The fiscal court will review the draft ordinance at its July 14 meeting. The neighboring town of Versailles, also in Woodford County, recently enacted a data center moratorium until December 31, modeled after a similar measure by Lexington officials.