New hyperscale data centers are no longer welcome in Palm Beach County for a while.
The county unanimously approved a year-long ban on new applications for large-scale data centers, defined as those with a monthly peak load of 50 megawatts or more.
The moratorium has been in the works since July, when the county paused new data center applications, saying at the time that they needed more time to study the tech.
Days later, the county rejected a zoning application for Project Tango, a million-square-foot data center project at the Central Park Commerce Center that had faced major community backlash. Property owner PBA Holdings has appealed that decision.
The developers previously secured approval for a smaller warehouse and data center on the site in 2016. That project could still move forward if Project Tango is ultimately killed.
In August, the county pushed forward with a year-long pause on large-scale data centers. Thursday’s vote solidified that move, putting the moratorium into effect until Sept. 24, 2027.
Commissioners were split, however, on who would bring them data center research during the pause.
They voted 4-2 against forming a volunteer-based committee to research and advise them on future data center regulations. County staff noted it would take two to three months for a volunteer committee to start meeting.
The county instead moved forward with hiring a consultant on data center matters. Quotes for that service ranged from $200,000 to $2 million, a move which County Mayor Sara Baxter said she opposed based on the price. A consultant could also cut out public input on the topic, Baxter and Commissioner Bobby Powell Jr. said.
County staff must still bring a potential consulting contract to the board before hiring the adviser.
Several other counties have struck down data center applications, including Citrus, Pasco and Clay Counties. Martin County, just north of Palm Beach County, is also eyeing a moratorium, with hearings on the topic scheduled for next month.
Data centers have become central to Florida’s gubernatorial race. The Republican candidate for governor, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, has said he plans on regulating the centers without banning them entirely — though he said he’ll respect local data center moratoriums.
He also filed a bill in Congress to require data center developers to find private water and energy sources; that bill hasn’t moved forward.
The Democrat candidate, David Jolly, staunchly opposes building new data centers and if elected plans on issuing a state-wide one-year moratorium, which he has said could lead to a permanent ban.
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