Palm Beach County delays review of Project Tango data center after large public outcry

The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners on a unanimous vote postponed for further review a proposal for a hyperscale data center known as Project Tango after residents and environmental advocates flooded the chamber to press for additional studies. The board set the return date for April 23, 2026.

Commissioners moved to delay the matter after more than 50 residents and dozens of written submissions asked the county to require independent studies of low-frequency and overall noise, water use and disposal, power demand and grid impacts, and public-health and emergency-response planning. Vice Mayor Woodward moved to set the date; Commissioner Weiss seconded the amended motion. The motion carried 7-0.

Ernie Cox, an attorney representing PBA Holdings and the applicant, told the board that the applicant agreed to a postponement and supported time for additional site visits and a preliminary noise assessment. "We certainly agree with your request to postpone so that we can do it, do a number of things," Cox said, including meeting the soon-to-be-elected Arden homeowners association and conducting a noise study.

Residents emphasized the site's proximity to Saddleview Elementary School and the Arden community. "This isn't Project Tango, this is Project Pandora," said Nathan Galang, a local party official, arguing that the facility could consume very large amounts of power and bring cumulative development pressure. Christina Reichert of Earthjustice urged the board to delay "until we know full facts about the project, including what cooling systems will be put in place and what the noise impacts will be." Several speakers requested that studies be performed by impartial third parties and that school and public-health agencies be engaged.

Applicant counsel said the site already has approvals for data and information processing under prior land-use decisions and that some uses and square-footage were reviewed years ago; the applicant agreed to a postponement within the county's statutory review timeline. Commissioners asked staff to clarify whether the existing approvals (originally reviewed in 2016) apply to "AI" or "hyperscale" data-center operations and whether code updates are needed to reflect modern facility scale.

Board members said the delay is intended to allow time for a sound study and other technical assessments, community meetings, and, if appropriate, state coordination on pending legislation. "This postponement is an opportunity to get more information," Mayor Baxter said, adding that she wants evidence that would reassure residents before she would support approval.

Votes at a glance: - Project Tango postponement to 04/23/2026 — motion by Vice Mayor Woodward (amended), second by Commissioner Weiss; outcome: approved 7-0. - Consent agenda adoption (as amended) — approved 7-0. - Pulled items 3 & 4 (Canada Courts / TLC Village) postponed to the January zoning hearing — motion by Commissioner Flores, second by Commissioner Sachs; outcome: approved 7-0.

What happens next: staff and the applicant said they will schedule community meetings and a preliminary noise assessment; commissioners asked staff to outline what independent studies the board should require and to coordinate with state-level work on data-center standards if available. Project Tango will return to the zoning docket on April 23, 2026, unless the applicant requests otherwise.

Sources: Public testimony and the applicant's statements at the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners meeting.