Pasco County moves to study data centers, authorizes advertisement of 12‑month moratorium

Pasco County staff asked the Board for formal direction to advertise a proposed 12‑month moratorium on data centers so the county can conduct a comprehensive review of infrastructure, environmental and land‑use impacts and draft clear code language that defines and regulates data centers.

Planning and Economic Development staff told commissioners the county’s current code lacks a clear definition for data centers and that uses range from cabinets with small electrical draws to hyperscale campuses occupying hundreds of acres. The planning director explained the moratorium is intended to be temporary and narrowly tailored, and includes a clause of necessity so that an economically critical project with demonstrable local benefit could be approved during the moratorium.

One commissioner asked whether smaller facilities under a 20‑megawatt threshold would be covered; staff said the draft will consider smaller facilities and the moratorium is intended to allow careful review, not a permanent prohibition. Staff said they will share research and white papers with commissioners and will send proposed ordinance language to the local planning agency prior to returning to the board.

The board voted to authorize advertisement of a broad moratorium title for review by the planning commission. Staff will draft and circulate the proposed ordinance language and the county attorney’s office has prepared a clause of necessity to allow exceptions for time‑sensitive economic development projects.