Fort Meade commissioners delay vote on data center
News ClipBay News 9·Fort Meade, Polk County, FL·3/10/2026
The Fort Meade City Commission in Florida has delayed a vote to approve plans for a new data center proposed by Stonebridge, a Maryland-based company. Some residents have expressed opposition to the project, citing concerns about the strain it could put on the city's electricity and water infrastructure, as well as potential air and water pollution and noise issues. The ordinance will now go to the Planning and Zoning board before being reconsidered by the City Commission.
zoningoppositionelectricitywater
Gov: Fort Meade City Commission, Polk County
Fort Meade officials delayed a vote on approving plans for a new data center to give the city more time to decide how to proceed. The proposed facility by Stonebridge would be located on a former phosphate mine, but some residents expressed concerns about the strain it could put on the area's infrastructure and the potential for noise and pollution. The Florida Senate is considering a bill that would impose stricter regulations on data centers due to their high resource demands. Data centers are rapidly expanding across the U.S. to meet the growing need for computing power for AI applications.