Clay County FL 1-year data center moratorium
Clay County, FL — Board of County Commissioners 1-Year Data Center Moratorium (4-1 Vote)
Clay County, FL · Clay County, FL Board of County Commissioners data center moratorium (adopted 4-1, June 23, 2026; Commissioner Compere dissenting)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- June 23, 2027
- Applies to
- Data center developers seeking rezoning, permits, or site plan approvals in Clay County, FL
- Enforced by
- Clay County Board of County Commissioners; Clay County Planning Department
The Clay County, Florida Board of County Commissioners voted 4-to-1 on June 23, 2026 to adopt a one-year moratorium on data center development, temporarily halting any rezoning, permits, or site plan approvals related to data center facilities. Commissioner Alexandra Compere was the lone vote against. Dozens of community members attended the public hearing voicing concerns about water usage, environmental impacts, and the potential effects of large-scale AI data centers. The moratorium runs through approximately June 23, 2027, or until county staff complete their review of impacts and any amendments to the land development regulations or Comprehensive Plan take effect, whichever comes first.
Who is protected: Clay County, FL residents
Legal detail
Clay County (FL) Board of County Commissioners 4-1 vote (Commissioner Compere dissenting), June 23, 2026. One-year moratorium on rezoning, permitting, and site plan approvals for data center facilities countywide; runs through approximately June 23, 2027, or upon adoption of updated LDR/Comprehensive Plan provisions, whichever first. Community opposition centered on water-supply and environmental-impact concerns. Clay County is located southwest of Jacksonville in northeast Florida; county seat is Green Cove Springs. Part of the statewide FL data-center moratorium wave following SB 484 (Ch. 2026-65) which preserved local zoning authority.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Clay County, FL |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | June 23, 2026 |
| Citation | Clay County, FL Board of County Commissioners data center moratorium (adopted 4-1, June 23, 2026; Commissioner Compere dissenting) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Clay County commissioners approve one-year moratorium on data centers — Action News Jax |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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