Levy County commissioners direct staff to draft one-year moratorium on data centers

Levy County commissioners on Tuesday gave staff direction to work with the county attorney to draft a one-year moratorium ordinance on data centers, citing concerns about water use, grid strain and protection of the county's rural character.

Chair (role) said the board had reached a consensus and that a draft ordinance would go to the planning commission for review and then back to the board for public hearings. "We have direction from the board. There's a consensus. You're directing staff to work with the county attorney to come back with an ordinance," county staff clarified during the meeting.

The action followed a two-part briefing: an educational presentation by Nathan Pilardi, an assistant professor and extension economist with UF/IFAS, and legal guidance from Byron Flagg of the law firm GrayRobinson, who explained Levy County's land-development code does not currently list or define data centers and described moratorium mechanics under Florida law. Commissioners said the moratorium would create a deliberate pause, typically about 12 months, to allow the county to research impacts and write zoning and ordinance language that could include protections such as water-use limits, utility cost protections and enforcement triggers like clawbacks.

No formal roll-call vote was recorded; several commissioners verbally registered assent and the chair stated "consensus." County staff said the next steps are to draft ordinance language, send it to the planning commission for advisory review and then schedule public hearings before the board, with opportunities for public comment at each step.