Citrus County commissioners on Tuesday told staff to draw up a temporary moratorium on new data center projects, aiming to slow what they see as a rapid push for hyperscale development near Lecanto. The unanimous move would give county planners up to 12 months to spell out local rules on water use, electrical demand and low-frequency noise before any new applications get the green light.
According to Tampa Bay 28, commissioners voted to instruct staff to prepare a moratorium that could last up to a year while the county crafts land-development regulations and environmental protections. County leaders told the outlet the pause is meant to "create strong regulations and protections" before future data center projects move forward.
Bay News 9 reports the move was sparked by an application from Deltona Corporation to expand the Holder Industrial Park by roughly 800 acres near County Road 491 and Tram Road, a location residents worry could attract massive server farms. Neighbors told the outlet they are alarmed about heavy water use, noise and possible pollution, and commissioners indicated they favored a time-limited pause because a permanent ban would likely trigger lawsuits.
Florida Data Centers and county filings show Deltona has submitted a comprehensive-plan amendment to enlarge the Holder park from about 557 acres to roughly 813 acres and to add "information processing" and "data-center utilities" as permitted uses. The developer's presentation features large estimates for construction jobs and permanent positions and promises of property-tax gains, while opponents argue those projections need independent scrutiny.
Residents packed the commission chambers and told FOX 13 they feared the proposal would upend quiet rural life and strain already limited water and power systems. Neighbor testimony zeroed in on buffers, traffic and low-frequency noise as the county weighs whether and how to allow heavy-industrial uses right next to homes.
What It Means For The Holder Rezoning
County attorneys clarified that the draft moratorium would not apply to the pending Holder rezoning because the application was filed before commissioners began openly discussing a pause. Tampa Bay 28 reports the rezoning is expected to go before the Planning and Development Commission next month and then return to county commissioners in July. Commissioner Jeff Kinnard told the outlet he wants "a good, solid ordinance in place that protects our environment, protects our residents."
State Law And The Bigger Debate
CS/CS/SB 484, described on the Florida Senate website, creates a new permitting and utility framework for large data centers and is set to take effect July 1, 2026, changes that will shape county rules and utility obligations. Reporting and experts cited by WUSF warn that hyperscale centers can demand massive amounts of water and power, use chemicals tied to contamination risks, and generate low-frequency noise that is difficult to mitigate.
The commission’s direction does not kill Deltona’s proposal, but it does buy officials time to write safeguards and give neighbors a clearer path for public input. Expect the Holder application and the new county guidelines to dominate public hearings this summer as residents and officials test how the Nature Coast balances industry and conservation, Bay News 9 reports.
