Sarasota County blocks hyperscale data centers for at least one year; DeSoto earlier made similar move
Sarasota County Commissioners have enacted a one-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers until July 2027, citing concerns over utility resources and environmental impact, and are exploring a permanent ban. This decision follows an inquiry from XF Group and mirrors a similar moratorium recently approved by neighboring DeSoto County. In DeSoto, a proposed data center by DCIP Group has faced significant resident opposition, leading to a planning commission recommendation for a two-year moratorium including pending proposals.
Sarasota County Commissioners have voted to enact a moratorium, halting the acceptance, review, and approval of hyperscale data centers until at least July 2027. The decision was driven by concerns over utility resources, environmental degradation, and water contamination, with commissioners like Joe Neunder and Mark Smith expressing a desire for a permanent ban on such facilities. This action comes after an inquiry from XF Group regarding a proposed data center along Cattlemen Road.
The move by Sarasota County mirrors a similar moratorium recently approved by neighboring DeSoto County, where a large data center complex proposed by DCIP Group has sparked considerable resident opposition. In DeSoto, commissioners initially approved rezoning 34 acres for an initial facility in March, but DCIP Group has since sought to rezone over 800 additional acres. Residents have voiced strong concerns during public forums about the project's potential unknown water impacts and other environmental issues. The DeSoto County Planning Commission recently recommended a two-year moratorium that would include DCIP Group's pending proposals.
Data center proliferation has become a contentious issue for local governments across Florida, particularly in rural areas, due to their significant demands on electricity grids, water supplies, and potential for noise pollution. County staff in Sarasota are expected to provide further information in August on steps toward more comprehensive regulation or an outright ban on hyperscale data centers.