Marion County planning board recommends 12-month data center moratorium
The Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended a 12-month moratorium on new data center applications to the Board of County Commissioners. This decision followed a public hearing with significant local opposition, driven by concerns over water resources, electrical grid strain, and land-use compatibility. The proposed pause would allow county staff to study these impacts before further development.
The Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission has unanimously recommended a 12-month moratorium on new data center, cryptocurrency mining, and related facility applications to the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.
The decision followed a packed public hearing at McPherson Auditorium where residents, many wearing "No Data Centers" shirts, voiced strong opposition. Brian Donnelly, an organizer, highlighted that local opposition stood at approximately 90-10 against data centers under current technology, citing concerns about depleted water resources and the low water levels in Silver Springs. Destiny Decker, an Ocala native, emphasized the impact of drought on Marion County residents and argued that AI does not need Marion County more than the county needs its water. Joel Hickman credited Commissioner Kathy Bryant for pushing the moratorium and noted that existing rules do not adequately address the infrastructure demands, particularly for water, wastewater, and the power grid. He also mentioned that 6,194 people had signed a related petition.
Conversely, Jack Pritchard of Summerfield opposed the pause, suggesting that closed-loop cooling systems can mitigate water conservation issues and that delaying development would hinder technological advancement. Max Shepherd of Ocala countered this, stating that the argument for a "race with China" is a "Trojan horse" used by those funding AI data centers to become wealthy. Growth Services Director Chuck Varadin confirmed that staff are still researching legal, water, and other issues, and that rewriting land development codes would take at least six months. The commission acknowledged that treating all data centers uniformly would be a mistake.
The recommendation now moves to the Board of County Commissioners for a second public hearing on September 15, 2026. A data center workshop is also scheduled for September 21, 2026, to present research and explore options, including potential land development code amendments ranging from siting rules to a permanent ban.