Citrus County Commissioners to vote on data center rezoning amid strong opposition
The Citrus County Commission denied Deltona Corporation's request to delay a critical rezoning decision for a proposed large-scale data center in Holder, Florida. The project faces significant community opposition over concerns about water/power use and noise, and the county's Planning and Development Commission has already unanimously recommended denial. A final decision by the County Commission is scheduled for July 14.
Citrus County, Florida, is preparing for a contentious July 14 public hearing concerning Deltona Corporation's proposal to rezone 798 acres in Holder from agricultural and low-density residential to heavy industry for a large-scale data center. The project has sparked widespread community opposition, with citizens raising concerns about intense water and power consumption, bright lighting, and low-frequency noise. The county's Planning and Development Commission (PDC) recently concluded an eight-hour public hearing on the matter, unanimously recommending denial of the application, citing a lack of specifics from Deltona.
Earlier this week, the Citrus County Commissioners unanimously rejected Deltona's request to postpone the rezoning decision until after the November 3 election, a move the developer's attorney attributed to potential impacts of a constitutional amendment on property taxes. Opponents, however, contend the request was a tactic to avoid political pressure on incumbent Commissioners Diana Finegan and Rebecca Bays, both of whom are up for re-election. An organization called No Data Centers Citrus is actively campaigning against the project.
The Deltona application predates a one-year moratorium on data center development issued by the County Commission in May, which was enacted to allow time for new, specific zoning regulations for data centers to be developed. Despite the ongoing opposition and the PDC's strong recommendation, the final decision rests with the County Commission.