WOODFORD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX News) — Update Sept. 14 at 10:20 p.m: Woodford County and its cities have enacted bans on data centers, marking the first time in Kentucky that both a county and its cities have taken such action together.
Versailles Mayor Laura Dake said in July she saw surrounding cities being approached about data centers and knew they needed to start planning.
"The moratorium was simply there to stop any development of data centers that might be out there that we didn't know about," Dake said.
Dake said the effort was a collaborative one.
"We work well together," Dake said.
The conversation then spread to Midway. With a city of about 1,750 people, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said protecting farmland is and has been a priority.
"One of the driving issues in Midway for the last 50 years is that balance between the urban and the rural and preserving farmland," Vandegrift said.
Vandegrift said hyperscale data centers can spread across hundreds of acres and use massive amounts of water and electricity, which worried residents.
"The process lacks so much transparency that we just figured why not do an outright prohibition," Vandegrift said.
Woodford County joined both cities this past week after citizens approached the county. Judge-Executive James Kay said a clear majority of residents were aligned on the issue.
"A vast majority of local citizens are on the same page they feel the same way about it," Kay said.
Kay said any city wanting to take similar action needs to listen to its constituents and think about what is best for Kentucky.
"We also have some of the most precious farmland in the world, and we believe that the future of Kentucky's agriculture industry in our economy is farming," Kay said.
Original Story: Woodford County officials have approved a ban on data centers, making the county one of the first communities in Kentucky to prohibit the developments.
Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay announced the decision Tuesday, saying the Woodford Fiscal Court worked alongside the Versailles and Midway city councils to implement a countywide ban on data centers.
Kay said local leaders were motivated by a desire to protect the county's farmland and rural character.
"Tonight's vote is a clear commitment to what makes Woodford County one of the most special places on earth," Kay said in a statement. "We are a tight-knit community with finite, irreplaceable farmland. Every single acre matters here."
County leaders argued that preserving agricultural land remains a top priority in a community known for its horse farms, rolling pastures and rural landscape.
The ban comes as communities across Kentucky and the nation continue to debate the potential economic benefits and infrastructure demands associated with large-scale data centers. Such facilities, which house computer servers and data storage equipment, often require significant amounts of land, electricity and water.
Kay said Woodford County officials believe the long-term value of preserving farmland outweighs potential development opportunities.
