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Zoning commission backs moratorium on large-scale data centers but flags 50‑megawatt definition as insufficient
Summary
The Zoning Commission recommended the county adopt a temporary moratorium on new large-scale data center applications while staff drafts regulations. Commissioners and residents said the 50‑megawatt electrical threshold could create loopholes and urged independent technical review.
The Palm Beach County Zoning Commission voted to recommend a moratorium on large-scale data center applications while county staff develops detailed land‑development regulations. Darren Leiser of the county attorney's office described the proposal as a pause "on comprehensive-plan and zoning applications for large scale data centers as that term is defined in the Florida statutes for a period of the shorter of 1 year from the adoption of the ordinance ... or the effective date of adopted LDRs or comp plan amendments related to large scale data centers."
Several commissioners and members of the public said the moratorium's reliance on a 50‑megawatt threshold could allow applicants to circumvent local review by proposing slightly smaller facilities. Commissioner (speaker 3), who moved the recommendation, said she would "recommend approval of the moratorium, but do not believe that the definition of large scale data center is adequate and that it needs further work." Commissioners asked staff to use the moratorium period to draft supplemental standards addressing water use, noise, thermal impacts and battery energy storage systems.
Public commenters urged caution and independent expertise. Sue Loisel of Loxahatchee told the commission, "This is not a routine code change," and asked the county to "bring in independent outside experts to help draft and review permanent regulations, including experienced land use planners, independent land use council, utility and power capacity experts, environmental water resource professionals, and infrastructure specialists." Lisa Johnson, representing the Acreage Landowners Association, supported the moratorium and asked that groundwater protection, aquifer sustainability and independent studies on noise and water demand be central to regulation drafting.
Staff and the commission clarified that the moratorium would bar staff from accepting applications that meet the proposed 50‑megawatt threshold, but would not retroactively stop processing applications filed before the direction to pause. The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration.
