Palm Beach County recently rejected a controversial expansion for Project Tango, a massive hyperscale AI data center. But the battle over future similar developments is far from over.
Prior to officially blocking plans for Project Tango near Loxahatchee's Arden neighborhood, commissioners also voted this month to temporarily pause all new large-scale data center applications.
The proposed regulations move to a public hearing on Aug. 27.
The moratorium gives the county time to craft zoning limits around anticipated noise pollution, high-water usage and immense electricity demands — often equivalent to powering tens of thousands of homes.
"It's important for the regulations to properly classify AI data centers as a heavy industrial use," said Christina Reichert, senior attorney with Earthjustice, an environmental law nonprofit.
Reichert, who also spoke in opposition of the project at last week's quasi-judicial hearing, told WLRN heavy industrial uses "should go in places where that is appropriate, and that's not next to communities and elementary schools."
"It also means that they would have to have stronger requirements and protections in place to limit the impacts," she said.
The Palm Beach County Zoning Commission voted unanimously, 7-0, to recommend against the proposal for Project Tango prior to the July 15 final vote in front of the county's commission. Board Chair Christopher Kammerer said the project was likely "heavy industrial."
The applicant, PBA Holdings, Inc, was looking to get the green light to bump up the allowed development space within the Central Park Commerce Center site from just over 2 million square feet to 3.6 million square feet.
The owners can still move forward with a standard data center.
READ MORE: 'Not compatible': Palm Beach County rejects controversial Project Tango AI data center
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