Hernando County FL 1-year data center moratorium (Ord. 2026-23)
Hernando County, FL — Board of County Commissioners 1-Year Data Center Moratorium (Ordinance 2026-23)
Hernando County, FL · Hernando County, FL Ordinance 2026-23 (adopted unanimously July 14, 2026; effective through June 16, 2027)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- June 16, 2027
- Applies to
- Data center developers seeking applications, permits, or approvals in Hernando County, FL
- Enforced by
- Hernando County Board of County Commissioners; Hernando County Planning Department
Hernando County, Florida became the second county in the Tampa Bay area to pause data center development when commissioners unanimously adopted Ordinance 2026-23 on July 14, 2026 (first advanced June 23, 2026). The 1-year moratorium prevents any new data center applications from moving forward, halting building permits, rezoning requests, and site plan approvals. Unlike many counties that acted after a specific project was proposed, Hernando County's moratorium was largely preemptive — no data center applications had been submitted at the time of adoption. The moratorium runs through June 16, 2027.
Who is protected: Hernando County, FL residents
Legal detail
Hernando County (FL) Board of County Commissioners unanimous vote; first advanced June 23, 2026; final adoption July 14, 2026 (Ordinance 2026-23). One-year preemptive moratorium on acceptance and processing of data center applications — building permits, rezonings, site plan approvals — countywide; expires June 16, 2027. No data center applications were pending at time of adoption (distinguishes Hernando from counties that acted after a specific project was proposed). WTSP noted it was the second Tampa Bay-area county to do so after Clay County. Hernando County is north of Tampa Bay; county seat is Brooksville.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Hernando County, FL |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | July 14, 2026 |
| Citation | Hernando County, FL Ordinance 2026-23 (adopted unanimously July 14, 2026; effective through June 16, 2027) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Hernando County becomes second Tampa Bay-area county to pause data center projects — WTSP |
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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