Washington County adopts one-year moratorium on data centers to study infrastructure impacts

Washington County’s board unanimously adopted an ordinance imposing a one-year moratorium on the acceptance, processing, review and approval of applications for data centers and large-scale data-processing facilities in the county’s unincorporated areas. County counsel read the ordinance aloud and described the measure as a temporary pause to allow staff and legal to draft enforceable land-development and comprehensive-plan language before applications resume.

The ordinance, as read by the county attorney, establishes a moratorium period and a study process: “An ordinance of Washington County, Florida established a temporary moratorium on the acceptance processing review and approval of applications for data centers and large scale data processing facilities within the unincorporated area of Washington County…providing for a 1 year moratorium,” the attorney read. During public comment residents supported a pause to protect water, power and transportation capacity, but several asked the board to tighten the ordinance’s study requirements. One resident warned, “This cannot become a 12 month, waiting period followed by business as usual,” and urged named responsible officials, deadlines, public workshops and a final deliverable be added to the study language.

Board members and counsel said the moratorium is intended to create time to write code that addresses energy and water demand and related safety risks; counsel noted the amended draft defines a data center by use (computer systems occupying more than 5% of gross floor area or with combined nameplate electrical demand above 250 kilowatts) to reduce unintended consequences for other businesses. The board moved, seconded and adopted the ordinance by voice vote. The moratorium applies to unincorporated Washington County only; some public commenters asked the board to coordinate with neighboring municipalities on complementary policies.

What happens next: staff and legal will prepare code amendments and the comprehensive-plan language during the moratorium period; the ordinance allows the board to extend the pause by a subsequent ordinance if more time is needed.