Data centers are prohibited in these Florida cities, counties
Indian River County and Vero Beach have prohibited data center development based on interpretations of existing land-use regulations, while other counties like St. Lucie and Martin have not. A new state law (SB 484) grants local governments more authority over hyperscale data center planning. Several Florida localities have enacted moratoriums or administrative pauses on data center development, often citing concerns about resource consumption and limited employment opportunities.
Indian River County and the City of Vero Beach have prohibited data center development, citing interpretations of local land-use regulations. John Stoll, Indian River County's planning director, issued a memo stating hyperscale data centers "shall not be permitted within any zoning district," noting their high electrical and water demands, noise, and limited employment. Vero Beach City Manager Monte Falls and Planning and Development Director Jason Jeffries stated data centers have never been a permitted industrial use in the city, with staff having discussed drafting a moratorium.
This follows Governor Ron DeSantis signing SB 484 into law on July 1, granting local governments increased authority over planning and land development regulations for hyperscale data centers. St. Lucie County previously saw proposals for large projects like Sentinel Grove and Atlas Compute, both of which faced opposition and were ultimately withdrawn. St. Lucie and Martin counties have not enacted prohibitions or moratoriums, though Indiantown, which has received proposals, appears receptive to development. The actions by Indian River County and Vero Beach add them to a growing list of over a dozen Florida localities that have paused or restricted data center development.