VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County leaders are expected to take a final vote on Tuesday on whether to ban large-scale artificial intelligence data centers in the county’s unincorporated areas. The proposal passed unanimously, 7-0, at its first reading.
Supporters say the ban would help protect the area’s water supply and natural resources, while concerns have also been raised about electricity demand, noise and the potential impact on nearby neighborhoods.
County Council Member Don Dempsey, who supports the ban, said he is concerned about the potential effects of a large-scale data center on the aquifer and nearby property owners.
“Nobody wants it in their backyard and I understand that, but even more so, we are prone to sinkholes in this area and I think it could do a lot of damage to property owners,” Dempsey said.
Channel 9 asked residents what they think about the proposed ban, and opinions were mixed.
“I think they’re necessary if you want AI and you want all these technology advancements, so kinda need it,” resident Dangela Arroyo said.
“Our natural resources are already kind of limited, so the more data centers we have, the less resources we will have ultimately, and then how will we survive,” Oatman said.
If approved, the ordinance would prohibit large-scale data centers with an anticipated peak electrical load of at least 50 megawatts in unincorporated Volusia County. The proposed restrictions would not apply within the boundaries of Volusia County’s incorporated cities, which have their own land-use authority.
Dempsey said county leaders have not received applications for an AI data center, but he wants to act before a project is proposed.
“We haven’t had anyone come here kicking tires looking to put a facility in Volusia County,” Dempsey said. “Again, the reason I am proposing this is because the governor and the Legislature has given us this small window of opportunity to seize the moment to put a permanent ban in place.”
The final public hearing and vote are expected during Tuesday’s County Council meeting in DeLand. Channel 9 will update this story as more information becomes available.
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