Scott County KY data center moratorium (extended to Mar 2027)
Scott County, KY — Fiscal Court Extends Data Center Moratorium a Second Time, to March 2027, While Planning Commission Finishes Regulations (September 2026)
Scott County, KY · Scott County, Ky., Fiscal Court — data center moratorium extended to March 13, 2027 (Sept. 24, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- March 13, 2027
- Applies to
- Data center developers in Scott County
- Enforced by
- Scott County Fiscal Court; Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission
Scott County Fiscal Court extended its pause on data centers until March 2027 so the Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission can finish data center regulations. The moratorium, first adopted in March 2026, had been set to expire in December. The draft rules would put data centers in heavy-industrial zones only, require conditional permits, regulate water and power use, and set stricter noise limits. Judge-Executive Joe Covington said the county prefers a strong regulatory framework over an outright ban because lawyers warned a ban carries litigation risk.
Who is protected: Scott County, KY residents
Legal detail
Scott County, Kentucky (Georgetown). Fiscal Court vote Thursday, Sept 24, 2026 (WKYT, published Sept 25), extending the data center moratorium — its SECOND extension — to March 13, 2027 (News-Graphic; WKYT: 'March'). Original adoption March 2026, initially six months (News-Graphic); prior expiry December 2026 (WKYT). Requested by the Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission after a Sept 17, 2026 public hearing. Draft ordinance (WKYT Sept 18 and 25): data centers in heavy-industrial zones; conditional permits; water/power provisions including utility certification that peak water can be supplied without harming existing ratepayers; stricter noise limits; WKYT says draft applies to unincorporated county, not Georgetown. Judge-Executive Joe Covington: counsel and the Kentucky Resources Council advised a total ban carries litigation risk. SCOPE CONFLICT: News-Graphic describes the moratorium as county-wide; WKYT describes the draft ordinance as unincorporated-only — moratorium geographic scope not firmly established. Not established: exact original adoption date, first-extension date, ordinance numbers. Related (not in this batch): WKYT Sept 30, 2026 'Georgetown council votes to draft ordinance banning data centers'. CORRECTION (adversarial pass): the '5-1' tally in the earlier draft belonged to the same meeting's separate vote to surplus the old Scott County Jail (News-Graphic: Pratt no, Ellison absent); the moratorium extension vote tally is NOT established.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Scott County, KY |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Citation | Scott County, Ky., Fiscal Court — data center moratorium extended to March 13, 2027 (Sept. 24, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated in the located sources |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Scott County extends data center moratorium until March — WKYT |
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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