Standalone data centers, including large-scale facilities used to power artificial intelligence, are prohibited under St. Petersburg’s existing zoning regulations, according to a new memorandum from the city’s planning director.
In an Oct. 9 memo to Mayor Ken Welch, Planning Director Derek Kilborn clarified how the facilities are classified under the city’s land development code. He concluded that data centers are neither permitted uses nor eligible for special exceptions.
The determination comes as local governments across Pinellas County consider how to regulate the rapidly expanding industry amid concerns about electricity consumption, water resources and land availability.
St. Petersburg’s zoning code contains a matrix identifying permitted land uses. Data centers are not included, and city regulations presume that uses not specifically listed are prohibited.
Kilborn also examined whether data centers could qualify as similar to other permitted uses, including utility infrastructure, but found no sufficient justification.
“For these reasons, Data Centers generally, and Large-Scale Data Centers explicitly, remain prohibited as a permitted, principal (P) or Special Exception (SE) use in the City of St. Petersburg,” Kilborn wrote.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 484, which recognizes the infrastructure and environmental challenges of large utility users, like data centers, last May. However, DeSantis preserved local authority over land use regulation in the same bill, which took effect July 1.
Under the new law, a large-scale data center is defined as a facility with an anticipated monthly peak electrical demand of at least 50 megawatts at a single location. St. Petersburg’s determination applies to standalone data centers regardless of whether they meet that threshold.
The memo follows similar actions elsewhere in Pinellas County. Pinellas Park approved a one-year moratorium on data center development in August. Additionally, in September, county commissioners adopted a resolution restricting large standalone facilities in unincorporated areas.
Unlike those actions, St. Petersburg’s memorandum simply clarifies that standalone data centers are already prohibited under existing regulations, and presumably no further action is needed to overhaul the law.
It was not indicated whether the city has received any recent data center development proposals, or whether officials are considering changes to the zoning code.
