Local Governments Clash Over Large-Scale Data Center Policies
Volusia County moves to ban large-scale data centers while Quinte West rejects a moratorium on new digital infrastructure projects.
Local governments in Florida and Ontario are pursuing divergent strategies regarding the expansion of digital infrastructure. The Volusia County Council is advancing an ordinance to prohibit large-scale data centers—defined as facilities with a peak electrical load of 50 megawatts or more—within unincorporated areas of the county. The proposal follows community concerns regarding the impact of such facilities on water resources and energy demand. The Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission will review the ordinance on October 15, with a final council hearing scheduled for October 20.
In contrast, the city council of Quinte West voted down a motion introduced by Councilor Egerton Boyce to implement a one-year moratorium on new digital infrastructure. This rejection leaves the status of two pending projects undecided until the incoming city council takes office. These projects include a proposal by True North Sustainable Infrastructure Inc. and an 18 MW facility proposed by First Block. The First Block project features an integrated industrial ecosystem designed to use server heat to power a vertical farming operation managed by Trinity Smart Farms.
