Palm Beach County Mayor Sara Baxter may sit out data center vote. Why?

Palm Beach County Mayor Sara Baxter has been advised by County Attorney David Ottey to recuse herself from all discussions and voting on Project Tango, a proposed hyperscale data center at 20-Mile Bend. Ottey's legal opinion stems from Baxter's public statements at a town hall meeting, where she declared she would vote against the project, thereby prejudging a zoning and planning application, which is prohibited for commissioners acting in a quasi-judicial capacity. Baxter, who is seeking re-election, has maintained her strong opposition to the data center, stating she would "fight for our neighborhoods, not surrender them to server farms." The County Attorney's memo warned that her participation could lead to the Board's final action being overturned by a court, citing a 2020 Boca Raton court decision where a similar prejudgment led to a zoning decision being vacated. The proposed data center, which landowner PBA Holdings Inc. (a donor to Baxter's political committee) plans to reduce by 20% to 1 million square feet, faces intense opposition from residents and groups like the Western Palm Beach Community Alliance. Concerns include excessive noise, the project's size, and its proximity to residential areas and Saddle View Elementary School. Critics also accuse Baxter of deliberately creating a situation that would force her recusal, allowing her to avoid a difficult vote. The public hearing for Project Tango has been rescheduled to July 15 at the applicant's request for additional research time.