LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A surge in data center projects is spreading across the U.S., and in Lake County, one commissioner wants to hit pause before any are built.
District 1 Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini is pushing for a one-year moratorium that would stop new data center development in the county.
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“These are huge centers that don’t fit the character and the feel of Lake County,” he said.
Sabatini elaborated that his main concerns include:
- potential strain on public utilities
- higher utility costs
- heavy water use
Multiple Florida counties have passed or are considering similar moratoriums — including Nassau, Pasco, and Jackson Counties.
“I don’t believe that Lake County’s an appropriate place for any data centers, but I do know that a moratorium is legal, and that’s a good way to stop and put a pause on things before anything significant happens,” said Sabatini.
Lake County commissioners are set to consider the proposed moratorium at Tuesday morning’s meeting. If it moves forward, it would go back for a final vote in two weeks.