Passing cars honked in support of about a dozen people who held up signs saying "no data center" and "our health is not for sale” just outside the Fort Meade Community Center before a city commission meeting.
While hitting a drum, one woman chanted, "No data center here. Clean water. Clean air.”
The group were protesting a proposed hyperscale data center for artificial intelligence.
The project by developer Stonebridge was already granted a zoning change and tax break last year by commissioners who were expected to vote on an official 20-year agreement at the Tuesday meeting.
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Polk State College student Riley Grant grew up in Fort Meade, but she said if the data center is built, she's moving.
"I'm sure a lot of people my age will follow suit, because I know a lot of people who want to start their families, or have started their families, they don't want to start it next to a data center," she said.
“It's a very small town. It is rural … I've been to a couple of cities, and they're fun, but I really just like the quiet nature of this town … and I'd like to keep it that way.”
Some residents of the Polk County city of just over 5,000 people are worried about the amount of energy and water it would take to operate the massive facility.
Others are concerned about "forever chemicals," air quality, and noise pollution.
Homeowner Michael Bennett told city commissioners he lives only a half mile from the more than thousand-acre site.
"It gets under my skin that I'm going to have some god-awful building in my front yard, in the middle of our beautiful area out here," he said.
“Make sure that if you are going to build something out there that it’s going to benefit the people that live in this town … because if you don't, none of you will be where you are … they will vote you out.”
Bennett was one of about 20 who spoke against the data center during a public comment period. Only one person spoke in favor of it.
In the city agenda, the latest agreement with Stonebridge said the facility will bring jobs, and contribute $10 million toward city improvements in two installments.
But residents had questions about how many locals would actually qualify for the jobs, as well as what the specifics are for receiving those funds.
In a surprise move, commissioners changed the development agreement from a “resolution” into "an ordinance,” which makes it a more formal process involving 10 days’ notice, first and second readings, and public hearings.
They then immediately conducted a first reading of the newly labeled ordinance.
Earthjustice senior attorney Christina Reichert said she's not sure that's allowed.
"If they change it at the hearing, there was zero notice provided to the public that they would be considering an ordinance about signing the development agreement with Stonebridge,” she said.
Reichert said it’s still unclear how Stonebridge plans to cool water, or what chemicals might be used, or what its plans are for backup generation.
"There's still significant gaps in information about this data center. And the information that's missing is exactly what will decide what the impacts of the data center will be,” she said.
The city manager said the ordinance is now kicked to the planning department for a hearing before returning to commissioners.
Commissioners also voted to terminate city attorney Markeshia Smith’s contract and hired TG Law firm in an interim capacity on the spot.
Resident Tyler Hancock asked commissioners who’s going to be reviewing the Stonebridge agreement.
“Is it the attorney that we fired tonight? Are we going to be doing that with the attorney that we have now?” he asked.
The mayor said the firm hired Tuesday would be advising on the data center moving forward.
The Florida Senate passed a bill to regulate AI data centers in the state recently by preventing residents from footing the bill for the facilities' high electric costs. And it could make the data center development process more transparent.
The House passed the bill Wednesday, but amended it, sending it back to the Senate with just hours left before the scheduled end of the regular session Friday.
