Florida's Data Center Expansion and Controversy | Florida This Week
Florida communities are pushing back against proposed AI data centers because of concerns about water use, electricity demand, utility rates, noise and overdevelopment. In North Port, hundreds of residents attended a meeting about an 18-month data center moratorium after a 50-megawatt project application, while municipalities statewide consider similar pauses amid uncertainty over their legal authority.
A panel discussion on Florida This Week examined growing opposition to AI data centers across Florida. In North Port, roughly 400 residents attended an eight-hour city commission meeting that lasted until 2 a.m. to discuss an 18-month moratorium following an application for a 50-megawatt data center. Only a small number of speakers supported the project, with residents citing water consumption, electricity demand, higher utility rates, noise and concerns about AI-related job losses.
The discussion said cities and counties across Florida have begun considering or adopting 12- to 18-month moratoriums because many local development codes do not specifically address data centers. However, local attorneys have questioned whether Florida law allows municipalities to impose regulations that could burden development. Supporters point to increased property-tax revenue as a potential benefit, although the North Port developer did not attend the public meeting and its ultimate corporate ownership was unclear.
The panel also discussed Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposed AI Bill of Rights, which passed the Florida Senate but failed in the Florida House. Former House Speaker Daniel Perez argued that federal policy should govern artificial intelligence, citing a presidential executive order, while gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds has generally supported data center growth but has also backed requiring companies to pay their own utility costs. The broader debate is unfolding amid concerns about affordability and overdevelopment in the state.