- The Martin County Commission voted 4-0 for a one-year data center moratorium
- The pause covers new applications in unincorporated Martin County
- One proposal off Kanner Highway was filed first and is not affected
The Martin County Commission voted 4-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to approve a one-year moratorium on new data centers. The pause gives county staff time to work out how to regulate the facilities in Martin County.
Tuesday’s vote was the second and final reading. Commissioners advanced the measure unanimously on Oct. 13. CBS12 reported that the pause applies to unincorporated areas, not to the municipalities inside the county, and that officials plan to use the year to develop rules for future proposals. TCPalm reported that commissioners may also consider banning data centers outright.
The Kanner Highway Application Gets Through First
The moratorium arrives with one data center already in the pipeline. The county received an application on Oct. 12, the day before the first vote. It is the first data center proposed in unincorporated Martin County. The site is off Kanner Highway west of Interstate 95. Because the filing came before the moratorium, the pause does not apply to it, according to County Attorney Elysse Elder.
According to TCPalm, Panorama Holdings LLC of North Carolina filed under the name Treasure Coast Gateway LLC. The project is planned for vacant industrial land within the South Florida Gateway Planned Unit Development. The land is on South Gateway Boulevard, south of Southwest 96th Street. The report described the project as 130 megawatts. County staff said the zoning already allows data centers as a use.
Residents and Environmental Groups Pushed for the Pause
Residents who spoke at the Oct. 13 meeting raised concerns about wildlife, noise and water use. The Indian Riverkeeper and the Guardians of Martin County also backed the moratorium, according to TCPalm. The newspaper reported that no one spoke against it.
Data centers have been a sore point in the county for most of this year. In Indiantown, a developer withdrew the 2 million-square-foot Silver Fox proposal in April after community opposition. The developers brought back a revised version in September, with a design they described as waterless. The Indiantown Village Council has not decided on that plan. Construction could begin in phases as early as 2027 if it is approved, according to the project’s executive, Adam Kramer.
In September, the county commission rezoned nearly 108 acres along Bridge Road in Hobe Sound. TCPalm reported that the new zoning allows data centers, though the owners said they had no plans for one. A data center application there would fall under the moratorium and would need commission approval.
What Comes Next
County staff will spend the next 12 months researching data center impacts and drafting regulations. TCPalm reported that the Indiantown Village Council is scheduled to vote on its own year-long moratorium at two meetings in November. Residents can follow the county’s work on the issue through Martin County Commission agendas and public comment at its meetings.
