Martin County commissioners unanimously move forward with 1-year moratorium on data centers

Martin County commissioners voted Tuesday unanimously to move forward with a one-year moratorium on data centers as county leaders consider how to handle future development of the facilities.

Martin County Commissioner Edward Ciampi explained it's "an opportunity to say, 'pause,' let's hear from people, lets have the opportunity for experts to come and speak to us on both sides.

Watch report from Cassandra Garcia:

Commissioners explained they would consider extending the moratorium later if they need more time.

If it takes a year, a year and a half, two years, whatever it takes, whatever it takes, we should be doing this, said Martin County Commissioner Eileen Vargas.

Tuesday's vote marked the first of two hearings scheduled this month on the proposed moratorium.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Martin County eyes pause on data center development

Commissioners are expected to revisit the issue on Oct. 27, when another vote will be required.

Residents are now hoping the county will use the time to consider their concerns.

For me its wildlife so these areas are in largely rural or large plots of land and so you take that area and develop it and these facilities are massivemillions and millions of square feet, no animals can live there anymore, or the hum is going to affect the animals, said Sergei Kelley, who spoke at the meeting.

Martin County resident Scott Butler added, "The fear of the use of all this water we have [...] and understanding what these data center[s] are going to use.

The discussion comes as Martin County has already received an application for a data center. The county received the application Monday, one day before commissioners considered the moratorium. Its the first data center proposed in unincorporated Martin County. The application is considered a hyper-scale data center, at over 950-thousand square feet proposed on a lot off Kanner Highway west of I-95. Because the application was submitted before the proposed moratorium, it would not be affected by the measure.

The proposal comes amid residents' concerns about the future of data center development in Martin County.

One resident at the meeting told commissioners, "Once land is converted into industrial use, the consequences can remain long after."

Ann Vandersteel, another resident, added, "We need to have serious studies completed in order to go forward with something of this consideration."

WPTV continues to hear from residents about those concerns as commissioners consider what restrictions, if any, to place on future data center development.