The Leon County Commission will hold the first of two public hearings Tuesday, Sept. 15, on an 18-month moratorium on large-load customer facilities, including large-scale data centers.
The proposal originated with County Commission Chairman Christian Caban, who raised the issue in June and called for a temporary pause while county officials study the potential impacts of large-scale data centers on electricity and water supplies, utility rates, the environment and surrounding communities.
The proposed ordinance would temporarily halt the acceptance, review and approval of certain development applications involving large-load facilities in unincorporated Leon County. The pause would apply to development permits, development orders, rezonings and site plans while county officials develop regulations addressing the potential impacts of such facilities.
County commissioners directed staff in July to pursue the moratorium following the passage of Senate Bill 484, which took effect July 1. The new state law highlights planning, infrastructure and compatibility issues associated with facilities that have substantial electric or other utility demands.
According to the county, neither the Leon County Development Code nor the Tallahassee-Leon County 2050 Comprehensive Plan currently contains specific provisions addressing large-load customers or data centers. County staff says the moratorium would provide time to study potential impacts and develop amendments before applications are received.
The proposed moratorium is not a permanent prohibition. County staff reports there are currently no approved or pending applications for large-scale data centers in unincorporated Leon County.
Among the issues expected to be evaluated are impacts on economic development and tax revenue, land and water resources, energy consumption and utility rates, and public health and safety. A state-required independent study addressing many of the same issues is due by July 1, 2027.
The county proposal also comes amid questions about the ability of the area’s existing electric infrastructure to accommodate a large data center. During a June City Commission meeting, then-City Manager Reese Goad said neither the Comprehensive Plan nor city code permitted large-scale data centers and that additional electric-generating capacity would be needed to accommodate such a facility.
The moratorium would apply only to unincorporated Leon County and would not be countywide.
County staff recommends commissioners conduct the first hearing and schedule the second and final public hearing for Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. The Sept. 15 hearing is required before the ordinance can be adopted.
Be the first to leave a comment on this article.