DeSoto data center proposal blocked again Wednesday night
The DeSoto County Commission rejected a rezoning request for hundreds of acres tied to DCIP Group's proposed data center complex, the second major setback for the project in two days. Commissioners and residents cited concerns about the project's fit with county growth plans, environmental and water impacts, noise, and insufficient operational details, while supporters pointed to potential tax revenue.
The DeSoto County Commission rejected a proposal to rezone 554 acres for part of DCIP Group's planned data center complex, which could include more than 15 facilities in the rural Florida county. The decision followed a similar rejection of a 238-acre rezoning request and came after the county adopted a one-year moratorium on new data center applications in July. A 34-acre site at a decommissioned power plant had been rezoned for the project in March.
Commissioners were divided over potential tax benefits and the project's environmental and community costs. Planning Director Misty Servia said the lack of project details, including information about wastewater, generators and operational conditions, made the proposal difficult to evaluate and inconsistent with the growth plan near Arcadia. DCIP Group CEO Jon Brown disputed that assessment, said the company would responsibly manage wastewater and use on-site natural-gas-generated power, and expressed openness to enforceable noise limits. Residents largely opposed the project, citing rural character, water supply and environmental concerns, although some supported it for its potential tax revenue.