Palm Beach County officials vote against hiring a data center consultant, for now
Palm Beach County commissioners declined to hire a consulting firm for up to $225,000 to advise on future data center issues, including noise, water use and electricity demand. The commission plans to consider other consultants and a resident task force after residents voiced opposition to potential data center development.
At a zoning public hearing in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County residents expressed opposition to the possibility of future data center development in the county. The Palm Beach County Commission had enacted a one-year moratorium on all data centers in September while it considers issues such as noise, water consumption and electricity use.
Commissioners voted against hiring the proposed consulting firm, which would have cost up to $225,000. They plan to revisit the matter at their Nov. 18 meeting, including whether another firm could provide relevant expertise and whether to establish a resident task force to advise the county.