The Palm Beach County Commission has officially approved a one-year moratorium on large-scale AI data centers as officials develop new regulations governing their use.
The 6-0 vote during a Thursday, Sept. 24, zoning hearing follows the commission's rejection of the Project Tango data center in July. It had given the moratorium preliminary approval in August.
Data centers have become a controversial topic across the nation — both because of their effects on local communities and also because they create anxiety about significant job losses. They perform large-scale data handling, including artificial intelligence functions, that could allow employers to reduce their workforces.
President Donald Trump has called for broad construction of the data
centers nationwide, saying in an interview last month that entities that reject data centers are "making a mistake."
Several municipalities across Florida have enacted temporary bans against large-scale data centers amid growing concerns over how they could affect electricity demand, water use, noise and land-uses.
In July, Palm Beach County voted to deny Project Tango, the 1 million square-foot hyperscale data center that PBA Holdings is looking to build near the Arden residential development off Southern Boulevard west of Wellington.
At the time, concerns were raised over the project's noise, water use, traffic and compatibility with the surrounding rural community.
PBA Holdings has filed an appeal, calling on a county magistrate to review the commission's decision. The magistrate will conduct a court-like hearing to determine if the decision should be overturned.
Commissioner Maria Sachs was not present for the AI data center vote. Mayor Sara Baxter voted for the ban. She had withdrawn from previous votes on Project Tango because she had expressed her opposition to the project before the commission could vote on it.
Julius Whigham II covers northern Palm Beach County and public safety for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County puts year ban on AI data centers like Project Tango
