Hernando commission approves 365-day data center moratorium
The Hernando County Commission unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on data centers, much to the delight of local opponents. This pause will allow county staff to study the impacts of data centers on public facilities and develop new comprehensive plan amendments or land development regulations. Concerns cited by commissioners and public commenters include potential impacts on water supply, electricity costs, noise, wildlife, and human health.
The Hernando County Commission has unanimously enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center developments, a decision celebrated by local opponents. The vote, which was 4-0, comes after extensive public discussion about the potential adverse impacts of large-scale data centers on the community.
Development Services Director Omar DePablo stated that the moratorium provides staff with crucial time to either conduct internal reviews or engage external experts to assess how data centers affect critical public facilities. The Planning Division plans to introduce necessary amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and revisions to Land Development Regulations to the County Commission before the moratorium's expiration. Officials noted that other Florida counties, including Citrus, Jackson, and Pasco, have also taken or are considering similar actions against data centers.
Public commenters and commissioners raised concerns about data centers' effects on the local water supply, residential electricity bills, wildlife, and human health, particularly regarding low-frequency noise. County Attorney Jon Jouben advised against an outright ban on data centers, citing the Bert J. Harris Act, and explained that regulation must occur through the comprehensive planning and zoning process. Opponents, including DeeVon Quirolo of the Sierra Club, expressed satisfaction with the moratorium as a first step towards drafting an ordinance that could restrict or even prevent mega-hyperscale data centers in Hernando County, advocating for smaller facilities with sustainable features like closed water systems and solar power.