CAVE CITY, Ky. — A proposed ordinance would temporarily pause data center development in Cave City, modeled after a similar action taken earlier this year in another Kentucky community.

At a recent meeting, Cave City officials voted 4-1 to advance the proposal. The measure is a moratorium, which temporarily stops certain types of development while local leaders review or update regulations.

Company calls for ethics review ahead of Cave City data center zoning discussion

The company said its “only goal is to help ensure that the process remains impartial and free from any concerns that could later call the validity or fairness of the proceedings into question.”

BarrensideBrennan Crain

Because it is being adopted as an ordinance, the proposal must be approved in two readings before taking effect. The first reading is scheduled for May 18 at 5 p.m.

Councilmember Leticia Cline said the idea was based on a moratorium approved by Meade County, which temporarily paused the review of applications tied to potential data center projects.

Meade County has countywide land-use rules but did not previously have specific regulations for data centers. The moratorium temporarily halted development applications while officials review and update those rules.

In Barren County, no formal data center plans have been submitted to Cave City or the planning and zoning commission.

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Barren County has no countywide zoning system, limiting its ability to regulate large-scale industrial development such as data centers.

BarrensideBrennan Crain

Cline said developers have spent the past five months looking for possible sites in the county. Barrenside has not been able to independently verify those claims beyond statements made by Cline in public meetings and interviews.

If adopted, the Cave City moratorium would pause new applications for zoning and building approvals related to data centers until studies and ordinance updates are completed.

The ordinance says the pause is intended to give the city time to ensure future development aligns with community goals and long-term planning.

If the measure fails, Cave City would not have a temporary pause in place, and data center proposals would continue to be reviewed under existing zoning rules, which do not specifically prohibit them.