Woodford County in Kentucky has enacted a permanent, outright ban on data center development, following a Fiscal Court vote coordinated with the local governments of Midway and Versailles.
The Lexington Herald Leader reports that the ban followed a Woodford County Fiscal Court meeting on September 8, 2026. Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay posted about the vote on Facebook, calling it a “clear commitment to what makes Woodford County one of the most special places on earth.”
Kay, interviewed by the Herald-Leader the Wednesday evening after the vote, said the ban came together in an unusual way: the county’s incorporated cities and the county government all agreed on identical banning language. He said there was little pushback, with rural and urban elected officials landing on the same approach.
“By taking this decisive step, Woodford County chose to protect our farmland, honor our farming families, and safeguard the quiet character of our countryside,” Kay said. “This isn’t about closing doors. It’s about holding the line for the community we treasure. Woodford County’s future is rooted in our land and water. Our future is farming.”
Kay said the community has an obligation to preserve “the same vibrant rural landscape, pristine waterways, and strong farming foundation that we enjoy” for those who come after. “We will not allow data centers to compromise our future,” he said.
The permanent ban builds on steps taken earlier this year. In June, the Woodford County Fiscal Court unanimously approved two motions: one directing the county attorney to draft legislation banning data centers outright, and another asking the county’s planning commission to consider similar regulations. That same month, the Versailles City Council, which governs the Woodford County seat, unanimously approved its own data center moratorium, running through Dec. 31, 2026. That measure bars the city’s planning commission and local government from considering any permits, approvals or project plans involving data centers. Versailles acted shortly after the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council took similar action.
Hellbound and Down 