By James Brown
Glasgow News 1
The Barren County Land Use Committee had its first meeting Thursday night, and reviewed the 100-page draft zoning ordinance for Barren County.
The committee was formed as community members wanted more information on how to regulate potential data center construction in Barren County. There are no zoning restrictions on such high-intensity technological infrastructure outside of incorporated areas of Barren County. Glasgow and Park City each have specific ordinances that classify data centers as heavy industry with conditional use. Cave City has no ordinance specific to data centers, but has passed a one-year moratorium on accepting applications for data center construction. That moratorium is being challenged in court by Kentucky Industrial Alliance.
Land Use Committee member Eric Snyder looks on as planning director Kevin Myatt, not pictured, speaks. Snyder is a citizen member of the committee. James Brown/Glasgow News 1
The committee was appointed to help guide creation of the county’s first comprehensive zoning ordinance and includes five citizen members: Billy Beckham, Eric Snyder, Jamie Pendygraft, Josh Morris and Sheila Steenbergen.
Magistrates Tim Coomer and Marty Kinslow also serve on the committee, giving fiscal court representation in the process.
There are also three members of the committee who represent the Joint City-County Planning Commission: Thomas Grubbs, Bobby Bunnell and Ricky Houchens.
The planning commission is charged with drafting ordinances pursuant to Kentucky law, and wrote this ordinance with the assistance of R.M. True, a consultant who specializes in drafting regulations that pertain to high-intensity technological infrastructure through his company Kentucky Steward LLC.
Planning director Kevin Myatt explained the role of the committee at the beginning of Thursday’s meeting.
“This is an advisory committee. Their purpose is to help and advise the staff of the planning commission write the best possible document that is requested by the Barren County Fiscal Court,” Myatt said. “In July, the magistrates of the Barren County Fiscal Court voted to enact zoning in the county. Following KRS 100 statute that falls to the planning commission and no one else. It’s the planning commission’s responsibility to come up with that document and produce a document that, one, meets the citizens’ needs, and, two, that the fiscal court feels comfortable enough to adopt, if it gets to that spot.”
Myatt also set out the timeline for the committee to review the draft ordinance and to have it before the Barren County Fiscal Court.
“Once we hold the necessary [Land Use Committee] public meetings, we will then hold a public hearing at the Planning Commission level. That public hearing will be the official text and the official zoning map that will be presented to the planning commission. They then will either approve or deny that. So we’ll go with the approval part of it. [The planning commission] then will hold a second meeting to approve their minutes and that will be forwarded to the fiscal court for final adoption, where there will be no changes that will be made. It’s either a yes or no vote once it gets to them at that point.
“So the due process and public hearings are held at the planning commission level. …. And then that will be forwarded to the fiscal court for a yes, no adoption. And if it is approved and it is passed on second reading, it will be official and become adopted, by law.”
“We are anticipating holding the public hearing for the adoption of this text and the map on Sept. 21,” Myatt added.
That is the scheduled date of the next planning commission meeting.
“I’m making that statement now because we’re required to give 30 days notice when a text amendment arises by KRS statutes,” Myatt explained.
Land Use Committee member Thomas Grubbs looks at the draft proposed Barren County Zoning Ordinance. He is a member of the Joint City-County Planning Commission who was appointed to the committee by the planning commissioner. James Brown/Glasgow News
After Myatt explained the role of the committee and the process going forward, he worked through the draft ordinance with the committee members. The ordinance was projected onto the wall for members of the public to view as the committee members reviewed printed copies.
The committee members asked questions and made suggested changes throughout the nearly two hour review process.
At the end of the committee review, anyone in attendance was invited to speak, but no attendees did so.
Article 17, which details requirements for high-intensity technological infrastructure, was not available for the committee members to review Thursday night, but will be available online Friday.
The next Land Use Committee meeting is Thursday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. in the Glasgow City Council chambers in the Luska J. Twyman Municipal Building.
Myatt said the zoning map, any changes made to the first draft and the high-intensity technological infrastructure ordinance (Article 17) will be introduced to the committee for review and discussion.
The full ordinance is available at the link below. The high-intensity technological infrastructure ordinance will be linked when it is available.
2026-Barren-County-Zoning-Ordinance-Working-Draft
Land Use Committee member Jamie Pendygraft looks at the draft proposed Barren County Zoning Ordinance. Pendygraft is a citizen member of the committee. James Brown/Glasgow News 1
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