Santa Rosa Commissioners are moving closer toward an ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on large scale data centers in the county. On Thursday, during the first of two public hearings, board members were pressed to forget the proposed 12-month moratorium and pursue an outright ban.
Pace resident Cindy Smith was first to share her concerns about the county’s intentions.
“I know there’s not an application that’s been put in yet, but are we protecting someone on the other end in 12 months? That’s my question, because something’s fishy here,” said Smith.
She was among several speakers to suggest Santa Rosa follow the lead of neighboring counties, including Walton and Escambia, that have decided to seek a total ban on data centers because it’s already a big concern.
“I think that we need to go ahead and nip it in the bud and let’s put something in place and not work on a 12-month moratorium and let’s go ahead and get this done now and not wait, because twelve months from now, we’re going to be back doing the same thing that we’re doing today,” she stated.
Pepper Wimer, an Escambia County resident, reminded commissioners of the dangers data centers pose to shared local waters.
“Data centers are industrial water users, and they use need millions of gallons of water,” said Wimer. “We’re not anti-growth; we’re just pro-water. We can’t drink jobs and you can’t fish in a dry creek.”
New Santa Rosa resident Bonnie Stratton expressed concern about potential health effects, not only from water pollution, but also from the sound coming from data centers. She urged commissioners to close any cracks that might give potential companies an opening.
“We don’t need to be bringing them here, and if there’s any way we can do this permanently, right now, instead of waiting a year, it’s a good idea,” said Stratton. “Because anytime you give them time to think about it, they’re going to sneak in. And, “them,” fill in the blanks, whoever you want them to be.”
Speaker Bill Cody also urged commissioners to follow the lead of neighboring counties and commit to an outright ban on data centers and said he presented legal opinion from the lawyers of Earth Justice, indicating commissioners are well within their rights to do so.
“I don’t understand the pushback on what we’re trying to do. It’s really baffling to me,” stated Commissioner Kerry Smith, who brought forth the proposed temporary moratorium.
He added that their mode of attack is based on the advice of the county’s attorneys.
“I’m trying to go about it the best way the attorneys are telling us to do this. I mean, I’m not an attorney. None of us on this board are attorneys. I tend to go by their direction. We have two very capable attorneys that are both giving us this direction.”
Providing clarification, County Attorney Tom Dannheisser repeated that there’s currently no prohibition of data centers of any size in the county’s Land Development Code and explained that a temporary moratorium is like a “preliminary, emergency injunction,’ allowing the county to immediately halt any action allowing them.
Further, Dannheisser assured that commissioners that they can take additional action any time during the moratorium.
“Twelve months doesn’t, in any way, mean you have to wait 12 months,” Dannheisser added. “If you feel after three months, you’ve had the necessary information, you send it to the Planning Board for their review like all your other Land Development Code regulations, and you’re ready in three, four, five, six months, you can proceed.”
Other commissioners, including Rhett Rowell, agreed with staying on their current path toward a 12-month moratorium so that when they do make a decision, it will be an educated one.
“This time, this moratorium, allows us to make a very smart, ‘This is what we don’t want in Santa Rosa County. This is what we will never want in Santa Rosa County,’ and to be very specific with it,” said Rowell. “I appreciate the concern and the fear and I get it and I’m with you, but to me that’s why this gives me peace about it.”
Before commissioners can take an official vote on the ordinance, they must hold a second public hearing, which is scheduled for July 23.
