Pasco Commissioners Weigh Year-Long Data Center Moratorium Amid Heavy Public Pushback

Data Center Moratorium Draws Hours of Public Comment, No Vote Yet

The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners held the first of two required public hearings on an ordinance that would impose a temporary, 12-month moratorium on new applications for data centers, large-scale data centers and other 'large load' electricity customers in unincorporated Pasco County. The measure would pause acceptance of building permits, site plans, development agreements, special exceptions and rezonings tied to such facilities while staff study land-use compatibility, water and wastewater capacity, electricity demand, and noise and light impacts. Staff emphasized this is a temporary pause, not a permanent ban, and that no board vote was required or taken at this hearing. A second hearing for possible adoption is scheduled for July 14, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in Dade City.

The county's Local Planning Agency reviewed the ordinance on June 11, 2026, and found it consistent with the county's comprehensive plan, while recommending changes to an exemption for incidental server rooms tied to an existing use, such as a school district's computer room. The County Attorney's office briefed the board on a new state law, Senate Bill 484, which preserves local land-use authority over large data centers while barring public agencies from signing nondisclosure agreements that hide such projects from residents. Attorneys also cautioned that while courts have generally treated moratoria of about a year as reasonable and not a legal 'taking,' a permanent ban imposed without further study could expose the county to lawsuits under state and federal property-rights law.

More than two dozen residents spoke, the overwhelming majority opposing data center development or urging the board to strengthen the moratorium. Speakers raised concerns about water consumption for cooling systems, strain on the electrical grid and potential rate increases, noise from cooling equipment, diesel backup generator emissions, e-waste disposal, and flood or storm-water risks from large impervious facilities. Several urged the board to make the moratorium permanent or to expand it to cover smaller facilities, alleging that some developers might structure projects to fall just under regulatory thresholds that trigger closer review. One developer, representing a proposed 19.9-megawatt facility near Interstate 75, asked the board to carve out an exemption for smaller, low-water-use projects, saying his company supports restricting larger centers. Public comment on the item was still ongoing as the session progressed toward a break; no additional items in this item's record indicate a final board decision on the moratorium itself.

Watch this discussion: 0:12:27 · 0:13:06 · 0:17:33 · 0:24:42 · 0:29:20 · 0:37:42 · 0:50:43

Board Discussion: Loopholes, Definitions and Next Steps on Data Centers

After public comment, commissioners questioned staff about how the ordinance's definition of 'data center' would work in practice. Staff confirmed the draft relies on a broad state statutory definition covering any facility that primarily houses electronic equipment for processing or storing digital information, which is why an exception was written for incidental server rooms embedded in another primary use. Commissioners and the county attorney's office acknowledged a possible loophole: an applicant could argue a data center is merely 'incidental' to a warehouse or other use to avoid the moratorium, or attempt to rename a facility to escape the ordinance's reach. Staff said the ordinance's functional definition would still apply regardless of what a facility is called, and said a possible megawatt cap on the incidental-use exemption remains under consideration during the study period.

Commissioners asked that health impacts on people and animals be added to the list of factors the county would weigh under a 'public necessity' exception that could allow a data center project to proceed despite the moratorium. Staff agreed to consider that addition before the July hearing. The board was also told the county intends to hire an outside technical consultant to help study data center impacts, though none has yet been chosen, and that staff indicated they would research best practices from jurisdictions nationwide. Separately, a commissioner expressed interest in attending a National Association of Counties session on data centers, noting that a number of communities around the country are already grappling with these issues, and said that if such a session is held, staff and fellow commissioners should attend to learn from counties that have experience with data center development.

Watch this discussion: 1:42:49 · 1:43:20 · 0:18:19

Land Development Code Rewrite Continued to August

A wide-ranging ordinance amending numerous sections of the county's land development code — covering public notice requirements, conditional uses, variances, agricultural and residential district standards, and rules for community residential homes — was continued at staff's request to August 11, 2026, in Dade City. The motion to continue passed unanimously without discussion of the substance, and the item was continued before the one registered public speaker could address the board.

Watch this discussion: 0:09:30 · 0:11:57 · 0:12:01

Rezonings, Flood Code Updates and Foreclosure Registry Approved

Commissioners approved several routine ordinances by roll-call vote, including an update to the county's foreclosure registry rules to allow property managers based in neighboring counties to register foreclosed homes, and an ordinance tied to the county's hospital assistance fund. Two flood-damage-prevention ordinances updating land development code and building code language for internal consistency were also approved, along with a comprehensive plan amendment allowing higher-density redevelopment and taller buildings, up to 15 to 18 stories, in a designated 'west market area.'

In rezoning matters, a 331-acre proposal in northwest Pasco near Denton Avenue and Little Road, seeking approval for hundreds of homes alongside commercial and light industrial space, was continued again to August 25, 2026, in New Port Richey, with no vote on its merits. A one-acre commercial rezoning in Shady Hills was approved as part of the consent agenda after staff confirmed a nearby natural gas easement would not be affected. Commissioners also approved changes to the Mitchell 54 West development near State Road 54 and Little Road, removing certain mixed-use design requirements while adding hotel rooms and adjusting commercial square footage.

Watch this discussion: 2:14:20 · 2:17:39 · 2:20:16 · 2:22:48 · 2:26:08 · 2:29:47

Disaster Recovery Funds and Utility Financing

The board voted to accept proposed changes to the county's federally funded disaster recovery action plan, which would raise the maximum award for replacing single-wide manufactured homes from $145,000 to $163,000 and add down-payment assistance for homebuyers, among other clarifications. A public comment period on those changes remains open through June 18, 2026, meaning the amendment is not yet finalized with federal housing officials.

Utilities staff briefed the board on long-term capital needs, estimating $1.8 billion in growth-driven water and sewer infrastructure costs over the next decade, including roughly $1 billion in the next five years. Staff indicated the county may need to shift from its traditional pay-as-you-go funding model toward issuing bonds, though a commissioner questioned whether that approach is feasible given the utility system's revenue structure. No vote was taken; staff was asked to return later this year with more detail, including updated studies on connection fees and alternative water supplies.

Watch this discussion: 2:31:21 · 2:35:38 · 2:37:20

Small Business Support, Park Land Protections and Other Board Directives

Commissioners discussed, without voting, a possible incentive program to help small, locally owned businesses secure smaller commercial spaces and more affordable financing, building on existing efforts such as reduced mobility fees in the West Market area and a new permitting 'concierge' service. Staff was asked to develop a formal proposal for future board consideration.

In other policy discussions, commissioners expressed support for a future written policy that would exclude county-owned parks and green space from being used for affordable housing or apartment development under disaster recovery funds or the state's Live Local Act, directing staff to draft such a policy. A commissioner also asked staff to review the land-use balance at the Central Pasco Employment Village to ensure job-generating uses are not displaced by residential development pressure, and raised concerns about reclaimed water shortages limiting landscaping irrigation for some communities. None of these discussions resulted in a formal vote in this session.

Watch this discussion: 2:45:23 · 2:53:02 · 2:55:56 · 2:59:44

Source: 6.16.26 Pasco Board of County Commissioners Meeting (Afternoon Session), Pasco County Government. This AI-assisted summary is based on the recording’s transcript, which can contain transcription errors. It is not official meeting minutes. Timestamp links let readers check the original discussion.