Volusia County leaders pursue permanent data center ban
Volusia County, Florida, is pursuing a permanent ban on large-scale data centers in its unincorporated areas, citing utility, noise, and infrastructure concerns. County officials decided against a temporary moratorium, and new applications will not be accepted while the proposed ban is processed. The proposed ordinance must be developed by staff, reviewed by the Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission, and undergo two public hearings by the County Council.
Volusia County, Florida, is moving forward with plans for a permanent ban on large-scale data centers within its unincorporated areas, pivoting from an earlier consideration of a temporary moratorium. This decision, made at an August 17 meeting, aims to prevent such facilities from being built in rural parts of the county. While the proposed ban is being processed, the county will not accept new applications for large-scale data centers in these areas.
County Councilman Matt Reinhart emphasized that the community does not see a need for data centers in Volusia County, noting that other counties have already enacted similar bans. Officials have expressed significant concerns regarding the environmental and infrastructural impact of these facilities, particularly their high electricity and water consumption, noise generation, and strain on existing infrastructure, including cooling systems and backup generators.
Dan Myers, a computer science professor at Rollins College, highlighted electricity usage as a major impact, dependent on the energy source. He also observed that data centers are rapidly becoming a prominent feature in many communities for the first time as part of a significant infrastructure build-out. The proposed ban would specifically apply to unincorporated Volusia County, leaving individual cities and towns within the county to manage their own data center policies. Dates for public hearings and council review are yet to be set.