Sarasota County Enacts One-Year Moratorium on Data Centers
The Sarasota County Commission unanimously enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center applications, citing environmental and energy concerns. This decision gives county staff time to assess existing zoning rules and consider new regulations. Commissioners expressed strong opposition to large data centers in the county.
The Sarasota County Commission in Florida has unanimously voted to enact a one-year moratorium on accepting, reviewing, or approving data center applications. This decision, made at a recent board meeting, stems from significant environmental and energy concerns associated with large data centers.
According to Michelle Norton, assistant director of county Planning and Services, only one inquiry has been received, with no formal applications submitted to date. The moratorium provides county staff with crucial time to evaluate whether current zoning regulations are adequate to address modern data center proposals, which can consume millions of gallons of water daily and demand substantial electricity.
The move mirrors similar actions by at least six other local governments, including DeSoto County, which recently implemented its own moratorium. A new state law effective July 1 empowers local governments to approve or deny data center proposals and prevents associated infrastructure and electricity costs from burdening residential and small business customers.
Sarasota County Commissioners expressed strong opposition to data centers. Commissioner Joe Neunder stated, "At the end of the day, for me, it's no, not now, never," highlighting the immense electricity and water consumption as a "huge red flag." Commissioners Teresa Mast and Mark Smith echoed these sentiments, with Smith describing the environmental impact as a "disaster" and suggesting that local policy should explicitly block data center applications.