Data center ban

Said he believes the council will pass the ban but warned 'the public is not always right' and noted the ordinance could be changed in the future.

Supported the ban but asked the council to also adopt a moratorium on smaller data centers and form an expert ad hoc committee to draft regulations before SB 180 sunsets.

Saw no problem with large data centers, arguing electricity and water are 'smoke screens' and questioning why ban something that could bring $165 million in revenue.

Urged the council to stick with the ban, arguing data centers don't pay their way, don't bring local jobs, and would be built in rural areas like Tomoka Farms Village.

Supported the ban and pressed the council to address water usage, noise and grid cost protections for smaller facilities through the comp plan and land development code.

Warned the 50-megawatt threshold leaves a loophole for smaller facilities, citing bans in other counties, Ormond Beach and Edgewater, and Monterey, California's voter-approved ban.

Supported the ban on hyperscale centers and echoed concern about smaller facilities exploiting the loophole, citing historical freeze-era sinkholes from heavy pumping.

Urged an outright ban on data centers rather than a moratorium, calling them 'community killers.'

Opposed any data center 'ever, period,' citing water, power, and no community benefit.

Cited Ormond Beach's 18-month moratorium and Walton County's ban; asked for at least an 18-month moratorium.

Urged a minimum 12-month moratorium and 'bulletproof' rules to effectively ban data centers.

Young resident warned of water bankruptcy, aquifer depletion, and PFAS pollution from data centers.

Heard no positives in the staff presentation; urged an outright ban.

Lifelong DeLand resident urged a ban, citing dying North Florida springs and aquifer decline.

Read excerpts of Walton County's emergency ban ordinance and urged decisive local action over lawsuit fears.

Said data centers bring no benefit and catastrophic costs, and urged an immediate total ban.

Co-chair of Volusia County DSA asked for a complete ban or at least a one-year moratorium.

Cited Coweta County, Georgia's eminent domain fallout and Fort Meade litigation; asked for a defined ban plan.

Parent asked for a large-scale ban plus review of smaller facilities that cumulatively draw on the aquifer.

Recommended banning facilities above 49 megawatts and regulating the rest; said the county is not an appropriate place for them.

District 1 professor urged adopting Robins' approach: ban 50 MW+ now and use the moratorium period to regulate smaller facilities.

DSA co-chair said he agreed with Dempsey for the first time and urged an indefinite ban as a fight worth fighting.

Tech worker from Deltona said large data centers compete with residents for water and power and add no permanent jobs; urged a ban.

Returned in the second comment period to urge a total ban and push back on dismissiveness toward unincorporated residents.