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The Data Center Divide

Oldham County

Anti-Data Center Policies

Oldham County’s enacted ordinance limits data centers to 10 megawatts and 110,000 square feet and requires large setbacks from homes and schools, making development difficult but not banning every project.

current law · County measure
Limits data centers to 10 megawatts and 110,000 square feet, with required setbacks from homes and schools and expanded public-notice requirements.Oldham County Data Center Regulations Ordinance (adopted October 6, 2026)

What this means

The measure would sharply limit data centers to 10 megawatts and 110,000 square feet, with large and hyperscale facilities effectively excluded (“limit all data center developments”). It also requires large setbacks from homes and schools, and the county executive said no current site would fit, making development substantially harder without banning every possible project (“no place in this county”).

People behind it

  • Recommended approval of the data-center regulations in June.

  • Approved the ordinance establishing the regulations.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements5

  • Caps data-center power capacity at 10 megawatts. maximum power capacity of 10 megawatts

  • Limits data-center facilities to 110,000 square feet. capping total square footage

  • Requires setbacks of 1,000 feet from residential property and 1,500 feet from adjoining school properties. 1,000-foot setback

  • Removes the large and hyperscale data-center categories; the judge-executive said the rules effectively prevent hyperscale centers in the county for now. effectively bans hyperscale data centers

  • Adds expanded notification requirements for data-center proposals. expanded notification requirements

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1

  • The medium-data-center definition says a facility must meet “one or more” listed criteria, rather than all of them. Residents warned this wording could let a project exceed one threshold if it meets another; the article does not establish how the county will interpret it.

Sources

current law · County measure
Would establish a new section of Oldham County’s zoning ordinance specifically governing data centers.Oldham County Proposed Section 250-340: Data Center Regulations (2026)

People behind it

  • Identified as responsible for Ordinance KOC 26-920-7, which proposes creating Section 250-340 of the Oldham County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for data centers.

  • Named as Oldham County Judge-Executive in the public notice for Ordinance KOC 26-920-7.

  • Identified as the governmental entity issuing Ordinance No. 5, Series 2026, concerning amendments and additions to the Oldham County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.

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  • Named as the mayor issuing the City of Crestwood notice for Ordinance No. 5, Series 2026.

Sources

Specific to Oldham County only.

expired · County measure
Pauses all data center development in Oldham County for 150 days while officials develop data center rules.Oldham County Ordinance KOC 25-910-508 (2025)

What this means

The measure would pause data center development for 150 days, with no exceptions, including applications already filed (pause on all data center development). That would significantly delay building or expanding facilities, though the pause is temporary and the sources do not say it would stop existing centers from operating.

Timing

Ends
150 days after adoption

The measure pauses all data center development for 150 days, without exceptions. No extension condition is stated.

People behind it

  • Made the motion to approve the 150-day data center moratorium without exemptions.

  • Seconded the motion and proposed amendments to the moratorium.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2

  • Imposes a 150-day moratorium on all data center development in Oldham County.

  • Applies the moratorium to previously filed data center applications, preventing them from progressing during the 150-day period.

Sources

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