Citrus County Datacenter Moratorium, but application already in progress 2026-05-26

Congratulations, Citrus County Commissioners, on passing a Datacenter Moratorium, May 26, 2026!

But the big horse was already out the barn: an application by Deltona Corporation to add to the 557.4-acres Holder Industrial Park another 798.6 acres for a total of 1,356 acres, so they can build a hyper-scale datacenter. That’s a bit wet of the Withlacoochee (South) River, the one that runs north from the Green Swamp, then west into the Gulf.

That is not in the Suwannee River Basin, but this is the first Florida datacenter moratorium we’ve heard of, and we’re concerned with Citrus County for other reasons, such as the borrow pit for the toll road extension that if its built could keep going up US 19 across the Suwannee River.

For more about datacenters, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters

Citrus County Datacenter Moratorium 2026-05-26, but application in progress, Deltona Corporation, Holder Industrial Park Expansion

That application will next be heard at 9 AM, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Lecanto Government Building, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Room #166, Lecanto, Florida 34442.

Meanwhile, No Data Center Citrus has scheduled half a dozen rallies against.

https://nodatacentercitrus.org/

No Data Center Citrus

Protect Our Land, Water & Community –No Data Center Citrus

That application was heard by the Citrus County Planning and Development Commission on March 3, 2026.

According to the March 3 agenda, the PDC members are:

David Bramblett, Chair
Jenette Collins, 1st Vice Chair
Michael Facemyer, 2nd Vice Chair
Richard Barmes, Member
Stuart Bozeman; Member
Robert Sharra, Member
Kurt Stone, Member
Timothy Gilbert, Alternate
Janis Murphy, Alternate
Chuck Dixon (School Board)

I can’t find a picture of them on the Citrus County website, but here’s a still from their video of their March 3 meeting. You have to wait through a three-minute AI Certificate Program ad to see it.

Video, 2026-03-05 –Citrus County PDC

Here is the Citrus County Moratorium.

ORDINANCE NO. 2026- AN ORDINANCE OF CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, OR EXPANSION OF, AND FOR THE ISSUANCE OF BUILDING PERMITS, DEVELOPMENT ORDERS, OR THE REZONING OF PROPERTY FOR DATA CENTER FACILITIES WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF CITRUS COUNTY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR MODIFICATIONS THAT MAY ARISE FROM CONSIDERATION AT PUBLIC HEARING; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, 2026-05-26 –Citrus County BOCC
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Page 1399, 2026-05-26 –Citrus County BOCC
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NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, 2026-05-26 –Citrus County BOCC
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Page 1401, 2026-05-26 –Citrus County BOCC
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PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED, 2026-05-26 –Citrus County BOCC
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Here’s an excerpt from one of many news reports. Evan Axelbank, Fox 13 Tampa Bay, May 26, 2026, Citrus County Commission unanimously approves yearlong freeze on new AI data center rezoning applications,

Parcel Map, 2026-03-05 –Citrus County PDC
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HOLDER, Fla.—Citrus County commissioners got an earful from residents who say their backyard is no place for a data center.

“I hope that you see how scared your constituents are,” one speaker said. “We’re terrified. We don’t want this.”

Opposition builds over Holder data center proposal
The backstory:
Commission chambers were packed with those who are furious over even just the idea of a data center near the intersection of U.S. 41 and North Lecanto Highway.

Commissioners are issuing a one-year moratorium on approving any zoning changes that could lead to a data center.

One-year moratorium approved The Deltona Corporation is considering a center on the 800-acre site in Holder.

“It needs to come to a full stop, period,” said another public speaker. “We can’t destroy our homes (and) our businesses, it’s too much.”

Thanks to Missy Marketeer for the pointer to No Data Center Citrus.

There are more images below.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Short Link:

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

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