Ludlow City Council is looking to put a temporary moratorium on any applications related to data centers and similar infrastructure in order to take a proactive approach to an issue that is being talked about nationally.
Mayor Sarah Thompson said she began considering the issue last year while still serving on council, noting a rise in data center activity across the region.
“This is a national conversation that most cities are dealing with,” Thompson said. “But just due to national concern and what’s been happening, I want us to take a proactive approach to this.”
Council held a first reading of the ordinance at last week’s meeting, which would impose a yearlong pause on accepting or processing applications for IT infrastructure facilities, including data centers, in the city.
City officials say the pause is necessary because Ludlow’s current zoning ordinance and comprehensive plan do not specifically address data center development. The moratorium would give the city time to evaluate and update its zoning regulations to ensure any future proposals align with Ludlow’s long‑term goals, sustainability priorities, and community wellbeing.
Communities across Kentucky are weighing the economic promise of data center development against concerns over infrastructure capacity, utility costs, water use, land‑use pressures, environmental impacts and government transparency as recent proposals for data center development have drawn heightened public attention in multiple counties and cities.
Under the proposed ordinance, the moratorium would last 12 months, unless the council chooses to end it early or extend it. During that period, the Kenton County Planning Commission would be asked to study the environmental, infrastructure and land‑use impacts of data centers, review applicable zoning districts and prepare recommended amendments for Ludlow.
Thompson added that she has heard from residents who do not want data centers located within the city.
A copy of the ordinance can be found below.
The next Ludlow city council meeting will take place on at 7 p.m. at the Ludlow Municipal Center on Elm Street on July 23. The meeting is open to the public.
