BURGIN, Ky. (WKYT) – The Burgin City Council held a first reading of an ordinance that would annex property, potentially paving the way for a data center project. The meeting drew a crowd large enough that some residents had to be turned away after the room reached capacity.
The agenda did not allow for public comment.
Residents voice opposition
Mary Delima, who owns Delima Stables and lives less than a mile from the land the city wants to annex, said the process has not accounted for the broader community.
“It just seems so unfair because there are six people deciding this and all the residents of Burgin are not being taken into consideration,” Delima said.
Before the meeting began, residents gathered outside wearing shirts and holding signs showing their disapproval of the project.
Council split on the vote
Three council members voted in favor of the first reading but did not detail their positions. Council member Sindicat Dunn, who voted in opposition, said his stance shifted after hearing from residents.
“In the beginning I was all for data centers. I’d seen the revenue that it would make for our city. How it would benefit our residents by our tax base. How it would help with our flood issues,” Dunn said. “But the people spoke up. And I’m elected by the people and for the people. It’s not what I want but what the people want.”
Planning and zoning concerns
Residents also raised concerns about Burgin’s lack of a planning and zoning system. Billy Ranking, president and CEO of Shaker Village, said the absence of those protections is a central issue.
“We don’t want to see that happen going around the protections. We need to protect the people of this community. That’s why planning and zoning is in place. The city should be in planning and zoning so we can build in the protections of this community,” Ranking said.
A second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for July 20.
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