Warren County Moves Ahead on Data Center Regulations, No Projects in Talks
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Warren County leaders say they are taking a proactive approach to potential data center development, even as officials confirm the county is not currently in talks with any company about bringing such a project to the area.
During Thursday’s Warren County Fiscal Court meeting, Judge-Executive Doug Gorman said the county is working ahead of time to establish regulations before any proposal is ever submitted.
“So for the last eight months our planning commission has been working diligently on how do we protect our community,” Gorman said.
Data centers have become a growing topic nationwide as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence continues to expand. While the industry has not yet proposed a project in Warren County, local leaders say they want to be prepared.
In recent weeks, some residents have raised concerns about potential impacts including noise, water usage and vibration. Some citizens also called for a temporary moratorium, or pause, on data center development while policies are considered.
Gorman, however, argued that a moratorium would not provide the same level of long-term protection as permanent zoning changes.
“I believe right now a moratorium is one of the most reckless things I’ve ever heard in my life,” Gorman said.
Instead, county officials say they are advancing zoning text amendments designed to regulate where data centers could be located and how they would operate if one were ever proposed.
Those standards include limits on appropriate zoning districts, setback requirements from homes and schools, utility review processes, and infrastructure requirements intended to prevent costs from falling on local taxpayers.
Gorman also highlighted what he called a key safeguard in the proposal: a decommissioning requirement that would require companies to set aside funding to remove equipment and restore sites if a facility closes.
“They have to have an approved decommissioning plan,” Gorman said, “and they have to carry it on for the entire time they’re in business.”
Gorman said the county’s approach was developed after reviewing how other communities across the country have handled similar development pressures, with the goal of protecting infrastructure, water resources and long-term growth.
5th District Magistrate Eric Aldridge also voiced support for the approach, saying residents’ concerns are being addressed through the planning process.
“I hear you loud and clear. You do not want data centers, nor do I,” Aldridge said. “But this is how you accomplish that. Not with moratoriums, which is a form of just kicking the can down the road.”
Officials say the proposed ordinance represents a comprehensive zoning update rather than a response to any specific development proposal.
The zoning text amendments received first reading approval Thursday and will return for additional consideration before becoming final.
