Louisville Metro Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting - September 15, 2026

The Planning and Zoning Committee met on September 15, 2026, at 1:03 PM in Council Chambers and via video teleconference, chaired by Andrew Owen (D-9). The committee considered five pending legislative items and adjourned at 2:21 PM.

Consent Calendar

• O-258-26 (Alley Closure): The committee voted 8-0 to recommend approval of closing an unnamed, unimproved alley (approx. 32,383 sq. ft.) between N. Peterson Avenue and Frankfort Avenue. The alley serves 49 parcels; 30 of 42 property owners consented. Discussion clarified that 51% owner consent is required for improved alleys but for unimproved alleys, public works must conclude it is not needed. The recommendation was sent to the Consent Calendar for full Council.
• R-124-26 (Data Gathering in District 22): The committee approved (voice vote) a resolution requesting the Office of Planning to conduct data gathering and analysis in Metro Council District 22 as a pilot project, with initial data gathering expected within six months. Council Member Kevin Bratcher (R-22) sponsored the resolution, citing traffic congestion on Old Bardstown Road. The resolution was sent to the Consent Calendar.

Discussion Items

1. O-225-26 – Detailed District Development Plan (8803-8807 Old Bardstown Road, 7.02 acres)

• The developer sought to modify binding elements, increasing a height restriction from 25 to 27 feet (Binding Element #9). Two other height restriction binding elements had been inadvertently omitted. An amendment reinstated those two elements while keeping the 25-to-27-foot change. Council Member Bratcher and Chair Owen spoke in support. The committee voted unanimously (8-0) to approve the amended ordinance and sent it to Old Business.

2. O-240-26 – Road Width Amendment (LDC 25-LDC-0003)

• Proposed to raise the minimum road width from 18 to 20 feet in the Land Development Code, driven by fire prevention code changes (LMCO 94.80) and a 2024 Council resolution. Joel Dock (Planning) presented the Planning Commission’s recommendation (approved 7-0). Committee Member Benson offered an amendment replacing specific width references with compliance to LMCO 94.80, allowing automatic updates if the fire code changes. The amendment passed by voice vote. Discussion included concerns about wider roads increasing speeds and the need to address existing substandard roads serving new dense developments. The committee voted 6 in favor, 2 present (Parrish-Wright and Ruhe) to recommend approval and sent to Old Business.

5. O-251-26 – Data Center Regulations (25-LDC-0014)

• Brian Davis and Joe Haberman (Planning) presented the Planning Commission’s recommendation (approved 5-3) after extensive public engagement: five community forums, four public hearings, nearly 3,600 survey responses, and over 4,000 online comments. Key provisions include a hard cap of 500,000 sq. ft., quarter-mile separation from sensitive uses and other data centers, conditional use permits for centers 50,000–500,000 sq. ft., utility capacity letters from LG&E and Louisville Water, developer-funded infrastructure upgrades, noise standards, and ownership disclosure. Council Members Hawkins, Parrish-Wright, and Ruhe raised concerns about health impacts, utility cost shifts, non-retroactivity to existing data centers (e.g., a 1M sq. ft. facility on Camp Ground Road), and the legal feasibility of banning data centers. Laura Ferguson, County Attorney’s Office, noted that banning a use would require sufficient justification to survive legal challenge. Committee Member Batshon moved to postpone; the motion passed by voice vote. The item will be taken up at a future meeting.

Key Outcomes

• O-225-26: Approved as amended (8-0), sent to Old Business.
• O-240-26: Approved as amended (6 in favor, 2 present), sent to Old Business.
• O-258-26: Approved (8-0), sent to Consent Calendar.
• R-124-26: Approved (voice vote), sent to Consent Calendar.
• O-251-26: Postponed (voice vote) for further consideration.