Bowling Green data center moratorium fails again, regulations given final approval
Published 10:08 pm Tuesday, June 16, 2026
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Protestors gather outside City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as Bowling Green leaders voted again on a six-month moratorium on data centers and give final approval to zoning ordinance regulations concerning data centers during the City Commission meeting. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Megan Wingfield holds up her phone in protest at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at City Hall as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Bowling Green City Commissioner Carlos Bailey asks City-County Planning Commission Executive Director Ben Peterson questions regarding the proposed zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to the regulations and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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City-County Planning Commission Executive Director Ben Peterson answers questions regarding new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to the regulations and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Megan Wingfield speaks at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at City Hall as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Cathy Severns speaks at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at City Hall as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Protestors gather outside City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as Bowling Green leaders voted again on a six-month moratorium on data centers and give final approval to zoning ordinance regulations concerning data centers during the City Commission meeting. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Brenton Hippler (left) of SOKY Indivisible spray paints signs for protestors as they gather outside City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, while Bowling Green leaders voted again on a six-month moratorium on data centers and give final approval to zoning ordinance regulations concerning data centers during the City Commission meeting. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Mayor Todd Alcott and the city commissioners give final approval to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce Interim President and CEO Meredith Wilson answers questions in regard to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to the regulations and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Ryan Dearborn speaks at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at City Hall as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Flora Templeton Stuart speaks at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at City Hall as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Claudia Hanes speaks at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at City Hall as the Board of Commissioners gets ready to give final approval to new zoning ordinance regulations concerning any future potential data centers and vote again on a six-month moratorium on data centers during the City Commission meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Protestors gather outside City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as Bowling Green leaders voted again on a six-month moratorium on data centers and give final approval to zoning ordinance regulations concerning data centers during the City Commission meeting. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Protestors gather outside City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as Bowling Green leaders voted again on a six-month moratorium on data centers and give final approval to zoning ordinance regulations concerning data centers during the City Commission meeting. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Protestors gather at City Hall on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, as Bowling Green leaders voted again on a six-month moratorium on data centers and give final approval to zoning ordinance regulations concerning data centers during the City Commission meeting. (Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
Bowling Green leaders again voted down a six month moratorium on data centers and gave final approval to regulations concerning data centers after a four-and-a-half hour, standing-room-only meeting in City Hall filled largely by those against data centers.
The action comes two weeks after the moratorium was voted down for the first time and the regulations were given first-reading approval by commissioners. Commissioner Dana Beasley-Brown moved to add the moratorium back onto the agenda Tuesday night.
“I am asking if you will consider, after what we learned tonight, putting in this period of due diligence so that we can host more public sessions (and) bring our community along,” Beasley-Brown told her colleagues.
In a vote that mirrored the one prior, Beasley-Brown and Commissioner Carlos Bailey voted in favor of the moratorium while Commissioners Melinda Hill and Sue Parrigin and Mayor Todd Alcott voted against. Had it been approved, a temporary pause on building permits and business licensing for data centers would have been put in place.
Before the moratorium was added, commissioners gave unanimous final approval to new regulations that affect any future data center developments that may come to Bowling Green.
No data center projects are being planned in Bowling Green currently. However, any that come to the city would have to be located at least 500 feet from any adjacent property lines and 1,500 feet away from any residential area. They would also have to use a “closed-loop” water system for cooling, meaning the water that is used would be recycled to cut down on demand.
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Approval of the regulations came after a significant amount of public remarks, with 33 people having signed up to speak to officials.
Remarks were made on the potential benefits of a moratorium on data center projects. Other concerns were raised over potential impacts to utility needs, the local environment and quality of life in Bowling Green.
Local advocacy groups including SOKY Indivisible had members inside the meeting room and a protest was staged outside City Hall before the meeting began. Chants including “no data centers” could be heard inside the meeting room and cheers could be heard from outside during public comment.
Commissioners will meet again July 21.
—This story will be updated.
About Jack Dobbs
Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.
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