Manatee County, Florida, Commissioners Vote to Advance Data Center Moratorium

Manatee County, Florida, commissioners have unanimously voted to direct staff to research and prepare a moratorium on data center development. The decision comes after residents voiced growing concerns about the environmental impact, high energy, and water consumption associated with the expansion of AI-driven data centers.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard highlighted the county's statutory authority to implement such measures, stating the goal is to identify and fill regulatory gaps concerning large-scale data center potential. Other commissioners, Bob McCann and Tal Siddique, also supported the initiative, which was prompted by resident requests earlier in June.

The board adopted a streamlined version of the moratorium proposals, which will now undergo further public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners for final approval. Commissioners indicated a desire for the moratorium to last a minimum of one year. Additionally, staff were instructed to begin updating the county's development rules to specifically address data center impacts on infrastructure, the environment, power and water usage, and public safety.

Residents, including Martha Jacobs and Lindsey Leigh, thanked the board for its proactive approach, with Jacobs also questioning the influence of political donations on data center expansion efforts. Mark Van De Ree, an East Manatee County resident, expressed optimism that a 12-month moratorium would provide sufficient time for regulatory development.