Oldham County fiscal court sends moratorium on data center approvals to planning commission after large public turnout

Oldham County Fiscal Court on Tuesday voted unanimously to send a proposed ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on data center development to the county planning commission for study and public hearing, after more than two dozen residents spoke during an extended public-comment period.

The proposal originally would have imposed a 120-day pause on acceptance, processing and approval of new data-center applications in the unincorporated parts of the county. Magistrates amended the draft before voting, changing the moratorium period to 150 days and adding language to explicitly cover private-utility and private-utility buildings and “data centers of any size.” The ordinance, as amended, exempts applications already filed before the ordinance’s effective date and does not apply inside incorporated cities. The court voted in roll call on the amended proposal; recorded votes were unanimously in favor.

The moratorium was framed by the judge and multiple magistrates as a temporary pause to allow staff, consultants, utility providers and stakeholders to evaluate infrastructure and land-use impacts. Judge David Vogel told the room the moratorium would allow the…