Applause broke out in the overflow area outside the capacity crowd inside council chambers at any mention of banning data centers or extending the moratorium Tuesday night.
Hudson Chamberlain was one of many donning pens with the letters AI in a red slash through them.
"We live in a digital world, I understand that, but we don't want data centers as neighbors. We certainly don't want hyperscale data centers as our neighbors," he told WUKY.
Chamberlain is part of a grassroots coalition called No AI in KY, which was well-represented at the nearly four-hour-long public meeting.
So far we’ve heard from residents, economic development advocates, a DartPoints rep, communications rep, and a bank rep. Applause breaks out in the overflow area at any mention of banning data centers or extending the moratorium. #datacenters
— Josh James ☯️ (@joshjameswuky.bsky.social) 2026-10-06T22:20:15.010Z
Residents overwhelmingly spoke against the controversial developments, raising alarms about energy usage, noise, environmental impacts, and enforcement of regulations, among other concerns.
But the council also heard from utility, banks, communications, and University of Kentucky representatives, along with data center developer DartPoints and business advocates who worried about stifling economic growth and unintentional effects of the proposed zoning ordinance on existing infrastructure.
"People do not want our city to be yet another experiment for billion dollar tech companies, poisoning our water and air, providing next to no high-paying jobs, and powering AI models that consistently harm workers," one speaker said.
Others directed their concerns more toward regulation, with another speaker saying, "I am 100 percent in favor of data centers. I use them. I know what they can do. But they have to be controlled."
"This is our generation's industrial revolution," one resident added.
The council ultimately voted to move forward with zoning language that would bar large hyperscale data centers and place new restrictions on smaller facilities, but added two important changes. One would assign the planning commission with developing a data center-only zone, and another would extend the moratorium on data center projects through October 2027.
"I have heard from my constituents on this issue more than any other issue in my time on council. You want us to slow down and get this right," Councilmember Emma Curtis said, before her motion to add the extension language passed unanimously.
The amended zoning proposal is now on the council's Thursday docket for first reading.