Nassau County is advancing a proposed moratorium on data center development, with a draft ordinance presented to the Board of County Commissioners on April 27 for a first reading.
If adopted, the measure would impose a 12-month halt on new data center projects in unincorporated Nassau County.
The ordinance would pause acceptance, review and approval of applications for rezoning, permits, site plans and other development approvals, according to the county’s general counsel.
County officials said the moratorium would give staff time to evaluate the impact of data center development and draft regulations before additional projects move forward.
The proposal cites the industry’s high demand for water and electricity, which can strain groundwater supplies, wastewater systems and the regional power grid. Nassau County relies on the Floridan Aquifer and faces long-term concerns about water sustainability and saltwater intrusion in coastal areas.
Officials also point to the lack of specific zoning and development standards for data centers, raising concerns about allowing industrial-scale facilities to proceed without a dedicated regulatory framework.
During the moratorium, staff would study groundwater use, utility capacity, land-use compatibility and environmental impacts while reviewing best practices from other jurisdictions. That work would inform updates to the county’s comprehensive plan and land development regulations, county officials said.
The moratorium would remain in place for up to 12 months or until new regulations are adopted, whichever comes first.
“There are no active or pending applications for data center development in unincorporated Nassau County,” the county said in an April 14 news release, describing the effort as a proactive step to ensure appropriate standards are in place.
The proposed moratorium comes after Miami-based NextNRG issued a news release announcing it had secured a long-term lease option on an unspecified property in Nassau County.
The company outlined plans for a 200-megawatt smart microgrid on roughly 1,200 acres near Jacksonville International Airport, with the remaining 400 acres described as “ideal” for hyperscale data center development, citing access to power, water and fiber internet.
After the news release prompted concern and speculation among residents, the county issued a statement April 6: “We are aware of speculation regarding a proposed data center near the Jacksonville airport, possibly within Nassau County. At this time, neither the Board of County Commissioners nor any member of its staff has knowledge of this project outside of a press release issued by NextNRG.”
The county said it had contacted multiple economic development partners, none of whom had knowledge of the project, and had attempted to reach NextNRG without receiving a response.
“I know all my colleagues are getting emails about it,” Commissioner John Martin said at an April 13 meeting.
“If you’re on social media, specifically Facebook, you hear about 1,600 acres of land that have been leased in Nassau County … That’s not true.”
Public hearings on the matter are scheduled May 11 and June 8 in commission chambers at 96135 Nassau Place in Yulee, with a vote expected later by the commission.