Data center regulations

Called for strong, loophole-free data center rules protecting residents from electric rate increases, water use, and noise, and urged adoption of the Kentucky Resources Council's model ordinance.

Invoked Catholic social teaching (Pope Leo XIV) to argue for regulating all data centers by real-world impact, requiring conditional use permits and public hearings, and protecting ratepayers.

Lives a mile from the Campground Road facility; wants a full ban on future data centers, or failing that, the strictest possible rules — smaller size caps (50,000 sq ft), mandated not encouraged requirements, non-fossil generators, closed-loop cooling.

Called for equity — if data centers must be allowed, zone them in the East End — and urged adoption of the Kentucky Resources Council model ordinance with 1,500-foot setbacks and required closed-loop cooling.

Supported a moratorium and said Louisville shouldn't be left out of AI — but the growth must be financially and environmentally responsible.

An attorney who supports a 180-day moratorium and thinks it should be longer. She says the 500-foot setback is nowhere near enough and wants data centers required to bring their own power and use closed-loop water systems.

A retired environmental analyst with 40 years in metro government who questioned the draft's professionalism and urged the commission to adopt the Kentucky Resource Council's version instead.

Questioned the sample size of the 3,000-survey feedback as statistically insignificant and argued grid upgrades may already be shifting data center costs onto ratepayers.

An AI professional who supports the technology but urged enforceable thresholds based on megawatt demand, water use, and campus-wide review of related projects, plus ratepayer protections and decommissioning security.

An AI infrastructure expert urged the commission not to scale down the Rubbertown hyperscaler project, arguing GPU clustering capability could make Louisville a 'true smart city' and support research like cancer cures.

Raised water use (up to 50 million gallons/day at large facilities), air quality for family with lung disease, and asked for a moratorium until enforceable protections and ownership transparency are in place.

Urged the city to be proactive rather than reactive, questioned siting within 500 feet of nursing homes and schools, and asked that AI companies be held accountable for water and electric costs.

Offered detailed code suggestions: limit data centers per zip code, add parks and ball fields to separation requirements, route approvals through Planning Commission and Metro Council rather than BOSA, require fire suppression and closed-loop water systems, and define 'adverse effect.'

Invoked constitutional liberty concerns, claimed each email on these data centers uses three quarts of polluted water, and noted data centers create only short-term construction jobs.