Commissioner seeks 12-month ban on data centers
Santa Rosa County Commissioner Kerry Smith has proposed a 12-month moratorium on data center development within unincorporated Santa Rosa County. This proposal follows the passage of Florida's SB 484, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, which permits local governments to regulate data center development and includes provisions for utility tariffs and environmental concerns. Other Florida counties have taken similar actions.
Santa Rosa County Commissioner Kerry Smith, who is seeking reelection in August, has formally introduced an agenda item to establish a 12-month moratorium on data center development in unincorporated areas of the county. The proposed ban would prohibit the approval or processing of land-use amendments, rezonings, permits, development reviews, and site or building plans for data center construction or expansion.
This move by Commissioner Smith is enabled by the recent passage of Florida Senate Bill 484, signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. The legislation grants local governments the authority to implement ordinances restricting data center development and mandates public utilities to set minimum tariffs and service requirements for large-load customers to prevent increased costs for other consumers. Additionally, the law addresses environmental issues, including water usage.
The initiative in Santa Rosa County mirrors actions taken by other Florida counties, such as Clay, Nassau, Hernando, Jackson, and Walton, which have also implemented similar development pauses. Despite the commissioner's proposal, Santa Rosa Commission Chairman Colten Wright previously stated that no discussions regarding data center development have occurred between developers and county officials.