Commissioner Dave Eggers asked county staff on Tuesday, Aug. 25, to draft a resolution stating that large-scale data centers are not allowed in unincorporated Pinellas County.
The proposed resolution would not create a new prohibition. It would restate the county's existing rule that uses not expressly permitted by the zoning code are prohibited. Large-scale data centers are not listed as a permitted use. Pinellas County's zoning code applies only to unincorporated areas. Cities within the county, including Clearwater, regulate land use within their own boundaries.
Still, the action signals growing regional momentum against data center development, a trend Clearwater officials may face pressure to address as neighboring jurisdictions lock down their zoning.
"A resolution would be a really smart thing to do, because there's a lot of angst out in the public on this particular item," Commissioner Brian Scott said at the meeting, according to the Tampa Bay Times. "We don't have the space anyways, let's be honest about it."
Pinellas County had received no formal data center applications as of the Aug. 25 meeting, though County Administrator Barry Burton said it had received two inquiries: one for unincorporated county land and one for Pinellas Park.
Why a resolution, not a moratorium
The approach sidesteps a legal obstacle. Senate Bill 180 (SB 180), a state law that took effect in 2025, restricts covered local governments from imposing moratoriums on construction, reconstruction or redevelopment of property damaged by the 2024 hurricanes and from adopting more restrictive or burdensome land-development regulations through Oct. 1, 2027. The law was sponsored by Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie following the hurricanes and was intended to fast-track rebuilding.
County Attorney Jewel White called the resolution "a good compromise" while SB 180 remains in effect.
Months of pressure
Commissioner Kathleen Peters first pushed for a ban in April. In May, she told WUSF that county staff had been approached about a potential data center along Gandy Boulevard, where the facility would tap water for evaporative cooling. "I don't want increased demand on water and power," Peters said in May. "What we need are good fiber optics, but we don't need data centers here."
Large-scale data centers supporting artificial intelligence projects use significantly more electricity and water than traditional server facilities. Researchers say this can raise energy prices and strain the water supply for nearby residents, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Pinellas Park's City Council unanimously approved a one-year data center moratorium in August. American Tower had proposed an approximately 17,000-square-foot facility at 10700 76th Court N., St. Pete Catalyst reported. The company subsequently dropped its application.
Pasco, Manatee and Lake counties have also adopted data center moratoriums in 2026. Hillsborough County directed staff to prepare a data center moratorium that would take effect after SB 180 expires on Oct. 1, 2027, unless a court invalidates the law earlier.
County staff will now draft the Pinellas resolution for a future commission vote. No vote date has been set.
