Escambia Commission Bans Data Centers; Barry Says No Projects Ever Under Consideration In District 5
Escambia County Commission has unanimously voted to ban data centers in the unincorporated areas of the county. An upcoming ordinance on August 6 is expected to further clarify and strengthen this ban, allowing only accessory server rooms. Commissioners cited concerns about job creation and environmental impact as reasons for the ban.
The Escambia County Commission voted unanimously to ban data centers in the unincorporated areas of Escambia County, Florida. The resolution states that data center facilities are not identified as a permitted or conditional principal use in any zoning district and are not considered an appropriate form of development.
An ordinance scheduled for consideration on August 6 is expected to strengthen this ban and clarify ambiguities by specifically targeting data centers smaller than 50 megawatts, which is the state's threshold for a "large-scale data center." County Attorney Alison Rogers explained that accessory server rooms, such as those at Navy Federal, the University of West Florida, or hospitals, would still be permitted as they are considered accessory uses.
Commissioners were unified in their opposition, with Commissioner Steve Stroberger holding a "No Data Center" sign and stating, "None of us want data centers. It's not happening." District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry clarified that despite his district having suitable land, no data center projects have ever been proposed or considered there. Commissioner Lumon May argued that data centers do not create significant jobs beyond construction and a few maintenance roles, and also "hurt the environment."