Santa Rosa County adopts one-year temporary moratorium on data centers after public concerns

The Santa Rosa County Commission voted to adopt a temporary, one‑year moratorium on data centers, approving the ordinance at a special rezoning meeting on July 23.

Chair opened the meeting and the moderator explained the moratorium is the first item and the second time the board has addressed the issue. Several residents urged the board to act. "The water is more precious than anything itself," said Craig Moore of Milton, arguing that large data centers’ water use outweighed any local benefit. Another resident, Kathleen Sheridan of Navarre, asked commissioners to clarify whether any company had approached the county to build a data center and raised concerns about electricity demand and noise. A separate speaker pointed to bans in nearby counties and argued that risks from AI and data aggregation warranted a local ban.

Commissioners discussed following the required legal process and conducting the mandated study before any longer‑term action. After brief remarks, a commissioner moved to approve the moratorium "without objection," and the chair recorded that the motion passed. The board directed staff to proceed with the study and follow statutory timelines during the one‑year moratorium.

The moratorium was introduced by staff as a temporary measure while the county studies infrastructure and regulatory impacts; the commission did not specify additional emergency exemptions at the meeting. The ordinance language and next steps for the staff study will be addressed in follow‑up meetings and posted with county records.