Residents of Franklin, Kentucky, a small town of less than 11,000 people along the Tennessee-Kentucky border, are pushing back against plans for a massive data center development. Developers with the OTN Group have proposed building a data storage and service center on roughly 200 acres of land at 421 Steele Road, consisting of three 200,000-square-foot data storage facilities along with its own natural gas power manufacturing facility.
The proposal has generated significant community opposition, with residents raising concerns about the scale of the project relative to the small town, the proposed on-site natural gas power plant, potential impacts on water and infrastructure, and the lack of community engagement prior to the proposal being submitted.
A Familiar Pattern
The Franklin situation illustrates a pattern playing out in small towns across America: data center proposals arriving in communities that lack the zoning, infrastructure planning, and regulatory frameworks to evaluate them. When proposals for large-scale digital infrastructure arrive in communities unprepared for them, opposition often forms quickly.
In January 2026, zoning regulators tabled a preliminary development plan for the Franklin data center, providing time for further review. The delay reflects the challenge that small communities face in evaluating complex proposals involving significant power infrastructure, water use, and long-term community impacts.
The Importance of Early Engagement
The Franklin case highlights the importance of early community engagement by developers. When communities first learn about major data center proposals through zoning filings rather than proactive communication, trust is difficult to build. ADIC encourages developers to engage communities before formal applications are submitted, provide transparent information about project impacts, and establish meaningful local partnerships.
For communities, the Franklin situation underscores the value of proactive planning. Communities that develop clear zoning standards and evaluation frameworks for digital infrastructure before specific projects are proposed are better positioned to make informed decisions when proposals arrive.
