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The biggest shift is procedural: Lexington has now formally imposed a moratorium, while Louisville’s project continues under earlier approvals as officials draft new rules. The story also tightens around emerging statewide oversight and sharper disclosure demands on costs, water use, and ratepayer exposure.

The story has broadened from mostly local zoning fights into a more clearly split statewide landscape: some jurisdictions are now actively enabling or advancing major projects while others tighten restrictions or pursue moratoriums. The biggest new development is the emergence of concrete project scale and utility scrutiny in Louisville and Hancock County, alongside stronger demands for disclosure of power, water, and cost impacts.

• Louisville is reviewing new limits while a 400-megawatt project advances.
• Dartpoint bought a former Lexmark property in Lexington.
• Mason County rezoned more than 2,000 acres for development.
• Hancock County project is tied to a 20-year Anthropic lease.
• Disclosure demands now include power, infrastructure, water, jobs, and tax revenue.

The story has expanded from Lexington’s zoning fight into a broader Kentucky-wide wave of data center regulation and local project approvals. What was mainly a single-city moratorium and drafting effort is now a multi-jurisdiction response that includes new moratoriums, code amendments, and at least one large campus moving ahead.

• Bowling Green is advancing targeted zoning controls for data centers.
• Multiple Kentucky jurisdictions adopted or considered moratoriums and study pauses.
• Mason County rezoned land for a large data center campus.
• Hancock County plans a phased AI infrastructure project with Anthropic and TeraWulf.
• Utility and road cost allocation is now a central policy condition.

Lexington’s data center response has moved from a general review into a concrete zoning rewrite with specific proposed limits. The latest version adds clearer enforcement details, especially a size cutoff, siting buffers, and generator restrictions, alongside a set hearing date and moratorium deadline.

• Staff are drafting ordinance language for data center zoning.
• Proposed 50,000-square-foot cutoff for major data centers.
• Draft buffers from homes, farms, schools, and daycare centers.
• Restrictions on generator use are part of the draft rules.
• Public hearing set for July 30; moratorium extends to October 31.

Lexington is actively reviewing whether and how to regulate data centers after a private property purchase by DartPoints triggered a citywide response. Residents, council members, and advocates are pressing for stronger limits, citing concerns about energy use, water, heat, emergency readiness, and neighborhood impacts. The city has already adopted a temporary moratorium while planning and zoning changes move forward.