Council Passes Data Center Moratorium, Renews LG&E Franchise After Municipalization Push
Metro Council • LouisvilleAugust 13, 2026
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Louisville Metro Council approved a six-month freeze on all data center development applications and closed a critical building-permit loophole — but rejected a push to extend the moratorium to a full year. In a separate contentious debate, the council renewed Louisville Gas & Electric's five-year gas franchise 18-3, but not before members openly discussed competitive bidding and buying out the utility's infrastructure under state law.
- Data center moratorium passes 24-1 with amendment closing building-permit loophole; one-year extension fails 10-15
- LG&E gas franchise renewed 18-3 after motion to send it back to committee for municipalization study fails 8-16
- Small massage businesses warn anti-trafficking licensing ordinance could force closures, cost jobs
- Celebrate Recovery gets full $22,000 ask from districts across the political spectrum for addiction ministry serving 250 weekly
- Feed Louisville funding expanded as council members report surging food pantry demand across the county
The night's longest and most heated debate centered on Ordinance O-135-26, a 180-day moratorium on all rezoning, conditional use permits, and Category 2B and 3 development plan applications for data centers and telecommunications hotels.
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