At its Monday meeting, the Georgetown City Council approved an extension of the city’s data‑center moratorium through June 30, 2027. The vote reflects growing concern among local officials that the community lacks the infrastructure and resources to support large‑scale data facilities.
Moratorium extended and new ban under consideration
Councilmember Karen Tingle Sames emphasized the decision, stating, “As I’ve said before and I’ll continue to say it, the city of Georgetown doesn’t have the resources to have a data center here in our community.” The council’s action follows a July resolution that already supported the Scott County moratorium and pushed the existing Georgetown moratorium’s end date from September to the end of December.
In addition to extending the moratorium, the Planning and Zoning office confirmed that the city has begun drafting legislation that would ban hyperscale data centers citywide. No developers have submitted applications for such facilities at this time, according to the office.
Why the city is acting now
Georgetown officials argue that large data centers require substantial power, water, and road capacity—resources that the city currently cannot guarantee without compromising existing services. By extending the moratorium and considering a ban, the council aims to protect residents’ quality of life, preserve local infrastructure, and ensure that any future development aligns with the community’s long‑term planning goals.
Community response
Local business owners and residents have expressed mixed reactions. Some welcome the precautionary approach, noting that unchecked data‑center growth could strain utilities and increase traffic. Others worry that the ban might deter technology investment and job creation. The council plans to hold public hearings later this year to gather additional input before finalizing the ban.
Next steps
The draft ban will be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Committee before returning to the full council for a vote. If approved, Georgetown would join a growing number of municipalities that are taking proactive steps to manage the impact of hyperscale data facilities.
City officials will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as the legislative process moves forward.
Original reporting: LEX18 Lexington (local) — read the source article.
