Data center construction continues to be a hot button issue in the Bluegrass, as well as, the rest of the nation. Kentucky Center for Economic Policy photo
In June, the Urban County Council unanimously passed a moratorium on all data center development in Lexington until at least Oct. 31, 2026, directing staff to draft updated local zoning rules in the meantime. Since that vote, city staff in the Division of Planning have been hard at work drafting those updates to the rules that determine how land can be used in Fayette County. Now that draft proposals have been written and published, and have received initial review, the Council has called a special Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting to receive in-person community feedback. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers of the Government Center (200 E. Main Street).
Recognizing the widespread community interest in this topic, Council chose to schedule this hearing during hours that are more accessible than the typical mid-afternoon committee meetings and work sessions. The Council continues to seek robust public input. As with previous issues, Council has a dedicated webpage on Engage Lexington (Engage.LexingtonKY.gov/DataCenters) that hosts an online public forum, provides a way to keep track of key dates, and serves as a hub of information and documents, including the full text of the draft regulations.
The draft currently being discussed includes making a formal distinction between “major” and “minor” data centers, in order to address the emerging “hyper-scale” data centers that are being constructed around the country. Lexington’s Planning Commission, a group of appointed volunteers who are tasked with reviewing rules about how we use land, held a public hearing in late July and voted to support Planning staff’s recommendations to prohibit major data centers in any parts of Fayette County. They also added restrictions to minor data centers, which would only be allowed in certain zones in Lexington with special approval from the local government. That special approval, known as a Conditional Use Permit, would require a case‑by‑case review and a public hearing for each proposed minor data center project.
Now that the Planning Commission has formally recommended these changes, the Urban County Council is tasked with final review, possible amendments, and approval or disapproval. Public feedback is a significant priority for Council Members, so they greatly encourage those who can attend the October meeting to do so.
Residents who are not able to attend the special meeting in person are encouraged to learn more and submit their thoughts on Engage Lexington (Engage.LexingtonKY.gov/DataCenters), via email, over the phone, or by mail. The meeting will also be streamed live and archived on LexTV. While the Council may choose to keep discussing the topic at future meetings, they may also choose to take legislative action during the October meeting.