Indiantown, Florida could implement a one-year moratorium on data centers, with existing projects unaffected.

Local officials in Indiantown, Florida, have approved the first reading of an ordinance that would establish a one-year data center moratorium. The measure would exclude several planned data center projects. A public hearing and a second vote are scheduled before it can take effect.

The ordinance was first presented on November 5 at a meeting of the planning, zoning, and appeals board for initial approval, followed the same day by a special meeting of the village council.

At the planning, zoning, and appeals board meeting, officials said the council had agreed to work with developers already in the queue for data centers in the village to ensure the moratorium's language was "appropriate."

At the special meeting, it was revealed that the wording of the moratorium would not apply to projects already in progress. The specific projects mentioned were Project Silver Fox, Project Growler, and Tesoro Groves.

Indiantown is a village in Martin County, Florida, about 42 miles northwest of Palm Beach.

Project Silver Fox is a 606-acre data center proposed by developers Panatonni and Ferreira. The project drew controversy earlier this year, prompting the developers to adjust their proposal to reduce local impact. The changes included promises that the facility would be "waterless."

Project Growler is a proposed data center on a former mill site owned by the Florida Steel Corporation. The land is now a designated "Superfund" site, a heavily contaminated location that requires a long-term, federally overseen cleanup of hazardous waste.

Tesoro Groves is a planned 5,722-acre hyperscale AI development that also includes plans for battery storage and solar arrays. The land is currently owned by Florida Power & Light.

During the special meeting, councilor Anthony Dowling noted that new councilors had recently been elected specifically to address data center complaints. In Indiantown's August 2026 local election, all three incumbents, who had been criticized for supporting data centers, were voted out of office.

"The citizens of this community complained that they were not being told what was happening," Dowling said. "They complained that they were being left out of the decision-making process, information that did not see the light of day."

"I understand that the council may not have the political will to fight this fight. I understand that we have legal considerations. But I think there's a bigger question to be asked. How much is this worth to our community? How much is our community worth in this moment?"

The council will also create a citizens advisory committee to discuss the data center issue. The committee's creation and the second public hearing are scheduled for November 19, giving staff time to review potential impacts.