Bowling Green KY data center zoning ordinance (2026)
Bowling Green, KY — City Commission Gives Final Approval to Data Center Zoning Ordinance (June 16, 2026)
Bowling Green, KY · City of Bowling Green, KY, data center zoning ordinance (final approval June 16, 2026)
- Status
- Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Applies to
- Data center developers in Bowling Green, KY
- Enforced by
- City of Bowling Green, KY (Planning and Zoning)
Bowling Green adopted zoning rules for data centers instead of a pause. New data centers face limits on energy and water use, noise and light pollution, must stay 1,500 feet from homes, must cover their own utility costs and must file a decommissioning plan. A six-month moratorium was voted down 3-2.
Who is protected: Bowling Green residents and utility ratepayers near prospective data centers
Legal detail
City of Bowling Green, KY (Warren County) — Board of Commissioners, final (second) reading, unanimous, June 16, 2026 (WKU Public Radio). Zoning ordinance applies to new data center/tech facilities in specified zones: energy and water consumption restrictions, noise and light pollution controls, 1,500-foot buffer from residential areas, requirement that data centers cover utility costs, and a decommissioning plan. Motion for a six-month moratorium failed 3-2 (Beasley-Brown, Bailey yes; Hill, Parrigin, Mayor Alcott no). No data center project was pending. Ordinance number and effective date not given in source. Warren County Fiscal Court was expected to vote on mirroring rules June 25, 2026 (not verified here).
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Bowling Green, KY |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | June 16, 2026 |
| Citation | City of Bowling Green, KY, data center zoning ordinance (final approval June 16, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Zoning approval withheld / zoning enforcement |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · consumer protection |
| News report | Bowling Green city leaders give final approval to zoning restrictions on data centers — WKU Public Radio (June 16, 2026) |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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