Fort Meade com­mis­sioners pass de­vel­opment agreement for data center, despite pushback from residents

Fort Meade, Florida, commissioners have unanimously approved a development agreement for a proposed data center from Maryland-based company Stonebridge, despite months of community opposition. Vice Mayor Petrina McCutchen acknowledged unanswered questions but supported the "leap of faith" decision. Stonebridge emphasized the project's economic benefits, including high-paying jobs and a $10 million infrastructure investment, and stated it would source power from Duke Energy and use 50,000 gallons of water daily. However, residents like Verna Moyer raised concerns about potential noise and the strain on city resources. A major challenge for the project is securing a water permit. The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently informed Fort Meade that the city's current water permit cannot supply the data center, and Stonebridge has not yet applied for a separate water use permit. The district confirmed that any such request would require approval by its full governing board at a public meeting.