Bourbon County planning commission organizes, schedules zoning work after residents report noise from nearby Bitcoin-mining operation

Bourbon County on Nov. 1 convened its newly formed Planning Commission for an organizational meeting in which members elected officers, set a meeting cadence to begin drafting a comprehensive zoning plan and heard sustained public comments about noise from a nearby Bitcoin-mining operation.

County counselor Bob Johnson, who opened the legal briefing, told commissioners the body must follow open-meetings law and public-record rules and "this is an open meeting," adding that the commission "shall convene for your first meeting and then you shall meet at least 4 times a year." Johnson referenced state planning statutes in his remarks and said the commissions work will culminate in recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners.

The commission elected Brian Ashworth chairman and Luke Casper vice chairman by unanimous voice votes; a…