Meade County commission votes unanimously not to rezone 138-acre site for proposed data center

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Meade County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously not to recommend a change that would allow a massive data center to be built on a 138-acre site near Brandenburg.

A packed meeting Tuesday had to be moved to a new room to accommodate the massive crowd of people who came to oppose the plan. The proposal called for the site, located along Joe Prather Highway near Brandenburg, to be rezoned to light industrial use to make way for the facility.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, a Change.org petition had more than 2,500 signatures in opposition to it.

The property's owner confirmed Monday he'd been in discussions with the county about selling the land and a data company has expressed interest.

Other data centers are coming to the Louisville area, including facilities in Jeffersonville's River Ridge Commerce Center and Jefferson County. Developers in Oldham County recently withdrew a similar proposal after community opposition.

The commission's recommendation isn't binding. It's now passed up to the county's fiscal court for consideration, which will make the final decision at its meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Meade County courthouse.

This story will be updated.