LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — New Albany is officially hitting pause on new data center development.
The New Albany City Council approved a one-year moratorium Thursday night on new data center construction.
The ordinance temporarily blocks new data centers larger than 100,000 square feet, along with campuses made up of multiple buildings that total more than 100,000 square feet.
Mayor Jeff Gahan proposed the moratorium June 9, saying it would help the city "thoroughly examine the impacts of data centers."
Last month, the New Albany Plan Commission recommended the proposal after hearing from residents during a public meeting.
"By studying this issue now, we can keep our residents informed about the potential benefits and pitfalls of the Great Data Center Expansion in and around our River City," Gahan said when announcing the proposal.
City leaders have said New Albany doesn't have room for a massive campus, like the $800 million Meta data center under construction in nearby Jeffersonville. But they said smaller facilities could still be proposed under current zoning.
Officials also pointed to comments from residents and responses to a survey included with recent sewer bills. Many said they want the city to establish clearer zoning rules before allowing new data center projects.
The one-year moratorium gives the city time to study potential impacts and consider updates to its zoning and land-use rules before any new data center proposals move forward.
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