South Florida has entered the data center debate. 

In one of the first moves to regulate the construction of the asset class in the region, the Palm Beach County Commission paused data center proposals this week until it adopts appropriate zoning, following pushback from residents.

Commissioners this week voted 5-2 to freeze new data center applications targeting unincorporated parts of Palm Beach County under a zoning-in-progress doctrine, which allows local governments to suspend proposals while they evaluate changes to zoning regulations.

In another vote, commissioners directed county staff to draft a moratorium on new data center proposals. They are expected to finalize the ordinance next month, after which the moratorium would remain in effect for up to a year, or until new zoning regulations are adopted. 

“This temporary moratorium will allow sufficient time to evaluate the potential impact of these facilities,” said Palm Beach County Mayor Sara Baxter, who initiated the moratorium. “Palm Beach County must ensure that development at this scale is considered with full transparency and a clear understanding of long-term impacts on infrastructure, resources and residents.”

The suspension came as concerns grew over one application, which is scheduled to go before the commission next week. Despite the votes, the development, called Central Park Commerce Center, will be allowed to undergo a review since it was filed before the moratorium. 

The development, also known as Project Tango, called for the construction of a 3.7 million-square-foot data center across 202 acres at 20125 State Road 80/Southern Boulevard in Loxahatchee, facing Route 98, near the Arden residential development and Saddle View Elementary School.

It’s a joint venture involving Atlanta-based developer TPA Group, infrastructure contractor Phillips, the Milstein family’s New York-based Ogden Cap Properties and Loxahatchee Groves-based Palm Beach Aggregates.

Despite the rapid rise of artificial intelligence companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic in recent years, South Florida has seen relatively few data center proposals. The region is densely populated, encased by the Atlantic Ocean and Everglades park, leaving little available land for large-scale projects. Hurricanes and year-round warm temperatures are also factors.

Still, residents remain concerned. “The majority of the people do not want this data center to become a reality. Please vote no,” said Maria Pesano, who lives in Jupiter.  

Julia Echikson can be reached at jechikson@commercialobserver.com.