Citrus planning board hears hundreds of objections over Holder Industrial Park expansion and votes to continue

The Citrus County Planning & Development Commission on March 12 heard hours of staff presentation, developer testimony and extended public comment on a proposed comprehensive-plan amendment to expand the Holder Industrial Park and add heavy-industrial uses, including data centers; after debate the commission voted 4–3 to continue the application to allow additional technical studies and to await pending state legislation that could change how data centers are regulated.

The hearing focused on whether the county should add roughly 1,300 acres to the existing Holder Industrial Park and allow a range of heavy industrial uses by right in the expanded area. Staff described the request as an amendment to the comprehensive plan and sub-area plan that would permit a list of tier 1 and tier 2 uses; several commissioners and speakers noted the application is conceptual and does not identify specific end users.

“Why is it you identify the useful life of the facility as 10 years?” a commissioner asked during the staff and applicant question period, pressing the applicant about assumptions carried from a 2019 filing. The applicant representative responded that…