Pasco County leaders are weighing whether to slam the brakes on new data centers for up to a year, arguing a timeout could give them space to study how the massive facilities might affect water supplies, power grids and long-term growth. The draft moratorium is scheduled to go before the Pasco County Planning Commission on June 11 and could land at the Board of County Commissioners for a public hearing on June 16. Residents from across the county have been pressing for caution, warning that the projects could strain utilities while bringing relatively few permanent local jobs.
What's being proposed
The draft ordinance would temporarily stop the county from accepting or processing applications for new data centers and other large, high‑load electricity users for up to 12 months so staff can review existing rules and map out infrastructure needs, as reported by Tampa Bay 28. Local business owner Robert Borras told the outlet he worries the projects "are going to take up water," push up electricity costs and fail to deliver meaningful jobs for people who already live in Pasco. Commissioners Jack Mariano and Seth Weightman say their inboxes have been flooded with messages, and they want a clearer picture of both the upside and the downside before greenlighting any more big data operations.
How the hearings will work
Public comment at both the Planning Commission meeting and the County Commission hearing will follow Pasco’s usual playbook, including advance sign-ups and time limits for people speaking remotely. The full agendas and staff reports are posted online, and Pasco County's Agendas & Minutes page explains how to pull meeting packets, pre-register to speak virtually and upload presentation materials ahead of time. The county also spells out accessibility accommodations and offers customer service contacts for anyone who wants to participate either in person or online.
Why neighbors are pushing back
Across the country, communities have been hitting pause on data center projects over concerns about heavy electricity use, major water withdrawals for cooling, noise from backup generators and the sheer land footprint of sprawling complexes, Stateline reports. Closer to home, neighboring Citrus County voted in May to draft its own moratorium after packed commission meetings over a proposed Lecanto facility, underscoring how worries about utilities and quality of life are shaping local decisions across Central Florida. Backers of data centers argue the projects can pump tax revenue into county coffers and create some high‑paying technical jobs, leaving local officials to sort out where that tradeoff lands.
State rules are changing too
Florida lawmakers this year approved new rules around data centers that, among other changes, keep local governments’ land‑use authority intact while layering on additional requirements for water permits and utility service for large load customers. The Senate summary of CS/CS/SB 484, detailed on the Florida Senate site, lays out those provisions. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed related measures in early May, signaling Tallahassee’s interest in putting some guardrails around hyperscale and AI‑focused facilities while also calling for more disclosures and studies of their impacts.
From here, the process is mostly procedural: the Planning Commission is set to take up the moratorium language at its June 11 meeting, and the County Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on June 16, when the board could adopt a 12‑month pause if it chooses, according to Tampa Bay 28. Residents who want to weigh in or review the fine print on staff recommendations should keep an eye on Pasco County's Agendas & Minutes page for the latest agenda packet and registration details.
