St. Petersburg Says Existing Zoning Rules Prohibit Standalone Data Centers
St. Petersburg officials confirmed that the city’s existing zoning rules prohibit standalone data centers. Planning Director Derek Kilborn said data centers are not listed as a permitted use or special exception and cannot be classified under utility plant or substation uses.
St. Petersburg Planning Director Derek Kilborn told Mayor Ken Welch that the city’s existing land development code does not allow standalone data centers. The code does not identify data centers as either a permitted use or a special exception, and unlisted uses are presumed prohibited unless they are sufficiently similar to an approved use.
Kilborn also found no basis for treating data centers as utility plants or substations. The memo explains how the city’s zoning rules relate to a new Florida law governing data center regulation.