Discussions about data centers aren’t new in Florida. While some local governments are welcoming these massive centers, others are pushing pause on the issue.
Zephyrhills is one of the latest to put a temporary halt in place.
The City Council held a final vote Monday to put a one-year moratorium on data centers. According to city clerk Ricardo Quinones, the temporary suspension means Zephyrhills’ planning department can’t accept applications for data centers.
Though there aren’t any proposals currently submitted, he added, the moratorium addresses the conversations going on around the city — and the country — about the subject.
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“This was a precautionary method because we didn’t know what the impact of a data center would actually have for our community,” Quinones said.
During the year-long pause, he said the city will research multiple factors, including what neighboring communities are doing, the resource commitment and drain of data centers, and the impact they have on neighborhoods.
That way, Quinones said the city can develop a plan for the community — with their involvement.
“We want to hear what the people have to say about it because we come to any sort of formal conclusion,” he said.
What other local governments are doing
- Citrus County approved a 12-month moratorium in May, and a county panel recommended rejecting a data center rezoning plan last week.
- Pasco County is working on implementing a one-year moratorium. It awaits a second public hearing and vote on July 14.
- A Pinellas County Commissioner has pushed to ban data centers in the county, though it might not be possible under state law.
- Fort Meade in Polk County approved a $2.6 billion deal for a 4.4 million-square-foot data center in April.
- Lakeland is in the process of drafting a 12-month moratorium ordinance while there has been a proposal for a 600,000-square-foot data center submitted. The City Commission is scheduled to hold a first reading July 6, with a public hearing and final vote July 20.
- In Pinellas Park, a company submitted a proposal to build a 17,500 square foot data center. City officials are still working on how to classify and process the proposal.
