Packed hearing expected on Holder plan

The Citrus County Planning and Development Commission is preparing for a highly attended public hearing regarding a contentious proposal to significantly expand Holder Industrial Park in central Citrus County, Florida. Attorney Sidney Ansbacher, representing Deltona Corp. and Holder Industrial Park, seeks to amend the county's Future Land Use Map and zoning atlas to re-designate approximately 800 acres of agricultural and residential land for heavy industrial purposes, nearly doubling the industrial park's size to over 1,350 acres.

While no specific data center project has been proposed for the site, much of the public's concern and opposition stems from the potential for such facilities to be built if the rezoning is approved. Residents have submitted numerous emails to the county, expressing worries about the impacts on water resources, power demand, traffic, noise pollution, environmental quality, and the rural character of Citrus County.

In response to these community concerns, Citrus County Commissioners recently approved a 12-month moratorium on new data center applications. This pause is intended to allow county staff to study and develop regulations concerning water consumption, electrical demand, setbacks, buffering, noise standards, and environmental protections related to data centers. The current hearing, however, is solely focused on the land-use and zoning changes for the industrial park expansion, not a specific data center application, a distinction county officials emphasize.

The application was initially heard and tabled by the PDC on March 5. The board will now hear presentations from staff, the applicant, and the public before making a recommendation to the county commissioners, who are scheduled to make a final decision on July 14. Opponents of the rezoning, such as Stephanie and Cory Absmeier, and Allisa Babor, stress the irreversible nature of such large-scale industrial development and its potential long-term negative impacts on the county.