My name is Jason, and I'm part of the Civic Engagement Team at Change.org. Our mission is to connect petition supporters with decision makers and to help foster healthy civic engagement in our communities.

We reached out to local officials about the petition and received a response from County Executive David Morgan. You can find his response below. 
Thanks for trusting Change.org as a tool for your community advocacy,

Jason and the Civic Engagement Team

Response from County Executive David Morgan:

Thank you for reaching out and for the opportunity to respond.

I understand and respect the concerns many citizens have regarding the data center project. It is important that people have accurate information about how decisions like this are made.

In this particular case, I am not a decision maker. The proposed project is located within the city limits of Lawrenceburg. Because of that, the authority to consider zoning changes, public hearings, planning matters, and any approvals related to the project rests with the City of Lawrenceburg and its elected officials and boards—not with Lawrence County government or the County Executive’s office.

Lawrence County government does not have jurisdiction over zoning or land use decisions inside the city limits. In fact, in the unincorporated areas of Lawrence County there are currently no countywide zoning, planning, or land use regulations in place. That means county government often has very limited authority regarding where and how private development occurs outside the city as well.

Although I am not a decision maker in this matter, the safety, security, and well-being of the citizens of Lawrence County will always remain one of my highest priorities. Any future development—whether industrial, commercial, or residential—should be carefully considered with the protection of our people, our quality of life, our infrastructure, and our natural resources in mind.

I believe this discussion highlights an important issue for the future. As Lawrence County continues to grow and as other large companies and developments consider locating here, we need thoughtful conversations about creating basic, common-sense policies that provide citizens with notice, transparency, and an opportunity for meaningful community input.

I believe we can protect private property rights while also ensuring that neighbors and communities have a voice when significant projects are proposed. We should also make certain that future projects are evaluated with appropriate attention to public safety, emergency response, traffic, utilities, environmental concerns, and the long-term impact on surrounding communities.

Those conversations should happen openly and respectfully, and I support that process moving forward.

I would encourage citizens with questions or concerns about this specific project to contact the City of Lawrenceburg and request information directly from the officials and boards that have legal authority over the matter.

Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to clarify.

Sincerely,

David Morgan
Lawrence County Executive