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Residents raise Bitcoin-mining noise concerns; commission reviews noise resolution and enforcement options
Summary
A resident said noise from a nearby Bitcoin mining operation has increased; commissioners discussed whether the county moratorium covers expanding operations or additional generators, and reviewed a revised noise-resolution that would route complaints to the code/sanitation inspector with measurement protocols and a 30‑day cure period before court referral.
A resident told the Bourbon County commission that noise from a local Bitcoin mining operation has grown louder and may be expanding, prompting questions about whether the county’s existing moratorium and code enforcement tools cover additional equipment or new sites.
During public comment, the resident asked whether acquiring more leases or generators constitutes an expansion that would violate the moratorium. Commissioners said they would consult county counsel; the chair noted that acquiring a new lease does not itself expand a permitted footprint, but opening a new Bitcoin operation outside an existing footprint could violate the local restriction.
The board then discussed a revised county noise resolution. The draft directs complaints to the sanitation/code inspector, establishes a procedure for on‑site sound measurements (taken at the complainant’s location or property line), requires a certified notice of violation with 30 days to correct, and allows follow‑up inspections and court action—including injunctions—if violations persist. Commissioners debated whether the sanitation/code inspector already has explicit authority to issue citations and whether the county needs a separate resolution to vest enforcement power in that office.
Commissioners warned enforcement costs may be high when targets have no local real property (making fines hard to collect) and noted injunctions and court actions may be necessary to halt noncompliant operations. The board agreed to continue the noise-resolution discussion at the next meeting with additional statutory checks and to ensure the resolution explicitly names the enforcing department.
Next steps: staff will circulate the revised noise-resolution draft, research related resolutions and statutory authority for sanitation/code enforcement, and return with recommended language that clarifies enforcement authority and measurement procedures.
