Two days after a heated public hearing at a Murray Planning Commission meeting on a proposed data center ordinance, the Murray City Council unanimously voted to enact a one-week moratorium on any potential data center applications.
The action, brought under the recommendation of Mayor Bob Rogers, was made after the commission’s special called to gather public feedback on proposed regulations regarding data centers within the city limits. Comments were not entirely focused on Murray’s regulations, with many calling for an outright ban or at least a temporary prohibition, known as a moratorium.
Concerned citizens spoke about the negative health and economic impacts being reported across the nation from installed data centers.
“I sat there, along with some other of our council members, and we listened to everything that was said. For the most part, everyone, I felt like, was well-meaning and somewhat informed,” Rogers said. “But everyone meant well, and we took it that way. They made a lot of recommendations as to some things that they think the planning commission ought to look at.”
Rogers addressed the stance residents took, as David Perlow, present attorney for the commission, said to them at the public hearing they “must be confused” as the commission does not have the authority to ban a data center or enact a moratorium, but the city council does. The council received pressure during the meeting as well because of this.
He said none of the other council members have made a statement or indicated support for the data centers – Councilmember Wesly Bolin went as far to announce his stance against the subject.
“I think, especially in the world we live in – and this year, where things seem to be moving so quickly – that healthy skepticism is necessary and required,” Bolin said about residents’ reaction to the ordinance. “Every week, there's a new story about data centers. Every week, there's a new story about artificial intelligence. And to get my bona fides on the table, I'm a high school teacher and a bookstore owner. I'm not a fan of either of these things.”
Nevertheless, Rogers said for the city to have protection against what residents spoke about, an ordinance must be in place.
“We thought that might be prudent on our part,” he explained. “So, our staff took that sample ordinance and came up with (an) ordinance that pertains to our city so that we would be ready if a request comes. But if you're going to get a request, you got to have something for the planning commission to base their decision on. They can't just say, ‘No, we don't want you.’ They have to have an ordinance. So, that's what we were pursuing.”
Rogers referred to Bolin to speak on the ordinance’s origin. Bolin said he was informed by City Administrator Jim Osborne that the ordinance came from a group of Kentucky lawyers, policy makers called the Kentucky Resources Council.
KYRC was formed in 1984, first opposing oil and gas drilling in designated wild river corridors. Bolin said the group has been working toward environmental victories decades since. They also provide resources and information on data centers.
“Because this is a tough thing to get up to speed on so quickly, this group, the (KYRC), a legal organization, put together a model ordinance that communities like ours can adapt,” Bolin said. “But our planning staff took it further. They wanted an ordinance that specifically targeted the specific situations that we have in this community. They wanted an ordinance as strong as possible to protect our people, to protect our landscape and to protect our environment.”
Bolin also openly called for county officials to take similar actions to regulate data centers, noting solidarity between city and county government is necessary to protect the greater Calloway County community.
“I also want to directly encourage our friends in county government to use this organization, because they have a sample ordinance for counties as well,” Bolin said, stressing . “… If we pass this ordinance in Murray, all citizens of Calloway County will only be safe if the county joins us in this and if they, too, join us in passing significant guidelines, guardrails for future data centers.
“I'm really proud of the work this community has done in the past week. I'm proud of so many people standing up to make sure that the future of this community is a safe, healthy and vibrant one. And I'm confident that the work is not over, but we're going to get it done, and data centers will not play a role in the future of this community.”
Following Bolin’s remarks, Rogers proposed the resolution, giving community residents what they demanded.
“It is my recommendation that a one-week moratorium within the City of Murray be enacted on issuance of any permits for a data center, or businesses that operate in a similar fashion, during that time frame,” he said.
Rogers strongly suggested the planning commission move its plan to review comments and suggestions over the ordinance originally scheduled on June 23 ahead of schedule and make changes at their next meeting on June 16.
“It is my recommendation and request,” he said, “that the Planning Commission be directed to review, during their regular scheduled meeting on June 16, 2026, the comments they received at the public hearing on June 9 and to forward the current draft ordinance as written – and all planning commission suggestions and recommendations – to the city council for first reading during a special council meeting next Thursday night.”
The resolution is generic to information technology infrastructure facilities like data centers, and its purpose is outlined to give the city the time to protect itself while the planning commission can act to align the ordinance with Murray’s comprehensive plan.
By roll-call vote, the resolution was unanimously approved. Councilmembers Johnny Bohannon and Rose Ross were not present.
The council will hold its special called meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, at City Hall.
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