Data center moratorium

Supported the moratorium, focusing on end-of-life electronic waste — lead, cadmium, mercury — and urged pre-funding cleanup through bonds or trusts.

A fifth-generation farmer who supported the moratorium, citing water cooling demands, grid strain and noise, and suggesting recycled water and grid upgrade requirements.

Supported a 6-12 month moratorium but said data centers bring tax revenue and could be required to recycle water and generate their own solar power.

Pro-data-center, arguing the county should lead on digital infrastructure and national security, and citing closed-loop cooling that cuts water use.

Supported the 12-month moratorium, arguing data centers create few permanent jobs and construction crews mostly come from out of town.

Backed the 365-day moratorium and urged technology-neutral rules with measurable thresholds and anti-circumvention provisions to prevent splitting projects to dodge review.

Asked when enough is enough, noting the U.S. has over half the world's data centers while Germany and China have far fewer, and questioned where components come from.

Cited PubMed research on infrasound health effects, worried about property values and health near data centers, and asked for at least a 12-month moratorium.

Spoke for the county Republican Executive Committee in support of the moratorium, urging focus on groundwater recharge and noise studies using European standards.

An 84-year-old Weirsdale resident who opposed the moratorium, telling commissioners not to 'handcuff yourselves' and noting approvals act as a built-in check.

A retired biology professor supporting the moratorium, urging protection of springs and warning 'don't turn it into Miami.'

Returned to support the moratorium without exemptions, arguing even pro-data-center speakers admitted responsible development requires the pause.

Supported a year-plus moratorium, citing recent AI warnings and a Tennessee community's 24-hour noise complaints from a data center.

The attorney argued the moratorium isn't needed since special use permits already cover it, said Senate Bill 180 prohibits it, and proposed 50-megawatt and closed-loop exemptions; Commissioner Bryant pushed back that staff themselves said they aren't ready.

As Land Development Regulation Committee chairman, asked commissioners for clear direction on what regulations to draft and encouraged the public to submit written input.

Said he is not for the moratorium and that the county should get to work on answers rather than wait.

Supports the moratorium as a step toward a permanent ban, citing water use.

A fifth-generation county resident and cattle farmer who supports the moratorium over drought, water recycling, grid, and noise concerns.

A 22-year-old college student who cited drought.gov figures showing 210,000 county residents affected by drought and urged the board to put residents first.

Opposed the moratorium, saying technology moves too fast, closed-loop cooling solves the water issue, and the county should instead fight for the right systems.

Opposed to data centers without health studies; submitted three reports on noise and health effects and warned against choosing 'the almighty dollar' over the county's health.

Told the board fewer than 5% of US data centers use closed-loop cooling and one center can use as much water as 35,000 houses; strongly supports the moratorium.

Works building data centers and supports the moratorium, saying the right chips and cooling systems reduce harm and the county needs to understand what it is agreeing to.

Of SW 72nd Circle, praised staff and warned that low-frequency generator noise below 20 Hz is incompatible with the horse capital of the world; data centers can use 300,000 to 5 million gallons of water a day.

Pointed to Loudoun, Virginia's regrets and vibration concerns on the county's limestone substrate; noted 37 Florida counties have moratoriums.

Supports the moratorium, citing Silver Springs flows 60-65% below historic levels and saying wisdom is the only thing that will protect the county.

Raised concerns over water use, electricity demand, and pollution, and asked how to review the paperwork already exchanged between officials.

A 23-year-old Ocala native who urged the board to stand with constituents and support the moratorium, noting the show of hands in the room.

Supports the one-year moratorium as prudent and reasonable, noting it could end sooner if the county moves faster.

Called the AI race with China a 'Trojan horse,' noting the US has over 5,000 data centers to China's roughly 400, and said developers profit by claiming it is unstoppable.

Focused on the water situation, noting wells must be drilled deeper and thousands of new homes are planned in The Villages area.

Shared law-school research indicating closed-loop systems can ultimately use more water because of energy generation; supports the moratorium.

Lives near Orange Lake, which is going dry; her 60-foot well failed in 2009 and cost $3,500 to replace. She cited the phase three extreme water shortage and warned about sinkhole risk from aquifer drawdown and vibration.

Supports the moratorium and asked that data centers get no tax incentives, pay their own infrastructure costs, and pre-fund decommissioning and recycling plans.

From Citrus Springs; noted Citrus County has also enacted a moratorium and asked the commission to study first and get the rules right.

Echoed karst and sinkhole concerns and said springs are in trouble; suggested consulting the Florida Springs Institute and approved the moratorium.

Supports the moratorium and a ban; offered to provide expert materials and played a clip of a data center builder saying closed-loop systems need no water.

Warned that a moratorium is really an attempt to shut data centers down, and that someday emergency and information services like 911 and search tools may depend on them.

Said nobody wants these facilities in their backyard and urged the board to 'just say no' to data centers.

Called the moratorium 'a sledgehammer' and argued Senate Bill 180 bars the county from adopting more restrictive procedures for development orders until October 1, 2027.

Representing the equestrian community, said the moratorium isn't long enough and warned data centers could scare away the international horse investment that built Ocala.

Recognized Commissioner Bryant for presenting the moratorium and cited a petition with 6,194 signatures asking the board to uphold it.