Commissioners Ask For More Data Center Consultant Options
The Palm Beach County Commission reconsidered hiring VHB to help develop stricter data center regulations and instead directed staff to return with additional consultant proposals. The county is operating under a one-year moratorium on large-scale data center projects, though Project Tango is exempt, while residents continue to oppose data center development and question VHB’s industry ties.
Palm Beach County commissioners directed staff to solicit additional proposals for consultants who could help develop stricter data center regulations, reversing an initial motion to hire VHB. The proposed consulting work would include research, technical recommendations, public outreach and preparation of a regulatory framework, with bids ranging from $200,000 to $2 million.
The county enacted a one-year moratorium on large-scale data center projects after rejecting an expanded Project Tango hyperscale AI data center near 20-Mile Bend. Residents criticized spending taxpayer money on a consultant with data center clients, while Commissioner Joel Flores supported obtaining outside expertise. Mayor Sara Baxter and Commissioner Maria Sachs opposed or questioned hiring VHB, and the board narrowly approved reconsidering the firm and reviewing other proposals.