Data center moratorium

Opposed data centers outright, citing water use in drought-prone Florida and urging more than a one-year moratorium.

Supported the moratorium and referenced her students' 'Clay County Speaks' podcast on data centers; asked the board to report back.

Supported the moratorium, emphasizing land conservation over revenue.

Supported the moratorium and urged a full ban, raising Flock camera and data-privacy concerns and Chinese software concerns.

Retired environmental specialist explained closed-loop cooling still uses water and shifts energy demand, and detailed on-site generator emissions.

Retired Navy civil engineer supported the moratorium and wants developers to fully fund infrastructure and self-generate power.

Young Navy vet supported the moratorium, citing AI job losses, surveillance concerns and the statewide trend of county pauses.

Backed the moratorium, arguing small employers like T&M Electric create more jobs than any data center, and urged a future ban.

The lone voice against: said Jacksonville's 14 data centers coexist fine, everyone uses data centers daily, and asked for an exemption for in-house hospital and courthouse data centers.

Detailed documented harms from other communities — generator emissions, 96 dB noise, water depletion, wildlife impacts — and urged the moratorium.

Young resident urged the board to consider her generation's future, AI job displacement, and to vote yes on the moratorium.

Lifelong resident asked why rural residents should bear noise, heat and light pollution that no commissioner would accept near their own homes.

Urged preserving Clay County's small-town character and prioritizing current residents over future growth.

Supported the moratorium and eventual ban.

Cited county noise ordinance limits, developer lawsuit histories, 6,100 vacant properties, and pushed eco-tourism over data centers.

Pipe fitter supported letting other counties build data centers first so Clay can learn from their mistakes; questioned water allocation.

Return speaker urged protecting private wells from industrial water consumption ahead of any data center approval.

Read ChatGPT's own list of data center cons — power, water, noise, blackouts — and urged the board to use the year for due diligence.

Supported the moratorium on privacy grounds and asked that public concerns be embedded in the eventual ordinance.

Called closed-loop cooling a shell game, citing PFAS discharge in Georgia, Virginia electric bills up 41%, and constant hum; demanded developer-funded standards.

Lifelong resident called AI data centers useless to the future and urged the board to say no.

Cited Governor DeSantis's statement on SB 484 taking effect July 1 and urged a full ban using the new state law.