Louisville Metro Office of Planning has proposed stricter regulations on data centers following public feedback. The proposal comes after multiple town halls and protests against a hyperscale data center set for Camp Ground Road in Rubbertown.

Protecting Residents and the Environment

The proposed regulations aim to protect residents and the environment by expanding the list of sensitive uses that must be separated from data centers. This includes nursing homes, hospitals, existing homes, childcare centers, and schools. The proposal also requires larger-scale data centers to be at least 500 feet away from sensitive uses, while medium-scale data centers must be at least 200 feet away.

The regulations also clarify low-impact design standards, tighten generator rules, and prohibit gas turbines and co-located power plants as part of a data center use. The proposal encourages green energy generation and maintains requirements that any proposed center be able to operate without raising utility rates.

Public Hearings

There will be four public hearings over the next three weeks, where officials will share the updated proposed regulations. The meetings will be held on July 27, August 5, August 6, and August 10. Staff from the Office of Planning will take questions at each of the meetings.

Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.