A pair of Indiantown Village Council members failed to gain support Monday for a 90-day pause on data center applications, with village officials citing concerns about violating state law and risking millions in state funding. Councilwoman Karen Onsager proposed an administrative pause on accepting, processing and approving new applications for large-load data center development projects. The motion came after civic activist Melissa Hague renewed her request from June, telling the Council that not pausing to review land development regulations would be negligent.
Village Attorney Wade Vose said the pause would violate Senate Bills 180 and 484, repeating his legal opinion from June that such a move would put Indiantown at risk of lawsuits from property owners and developers. Vose told the Council he received an email that same afternoon from a local land use attorney representing multiple developers within the village, warning that SB 180 would prohibit any regulation that would inhibit the process of applications for development. Village Manager Taryn Kryzda confirmed that industrially zoned lands within the village allow data centers as a permitted use.
Councilwoman Vernestine Palmer supported the concept but wanted a longer timeframe of 12 to 18 months rather than 90 days. Onsager said she chose 90 days specifically to avoid running afoul of state law and because the village is in the middle of an election cycle. Mayor Carmine Dipaolo warned against offending state officials who have given Indiantown over $120 million in funding. Kryzda added that when local government goes against the state or federal government, the first thing they look to do is withhold funding.
No council member seconded Onsager's motion, causing it to die. The proposal followed the withdrawal in April of a data center application submitted by Nelson Ferreira, which had drawn protests from scores of local residents. Kryzda confirmed that the community meeting Onsager requested will be scheduled for Saturday, August 2, and will include technical experts, representatives from the South Florida Water Management District, utility providers and relevant staff.