Palm Beach County commissioners voted 6-0 Thursday to stop accepting applications for new data centers with peak loads of at least 50 megawatts in unincorporated areas, for up to a year. The pause does not undo Project Tango’s existing approval.
The moratorium follows months of opposition to Project Tango, a planned hyperscale AI data center near Arden. Residents cited water use, higher power bills, environmental effects and noise. Commissioners rejected a major expansion in July, but a 2016 approval for two 100,000-square-foot buildings remains.
The moratorium is set to expire September 24, 2027, or earlier if the county completes development rules. Commissioners directed staff to explore hiring an outside consultant, but approved no contract or spending. Mayor Sara Baxter said the possible cost ranged from about $200,000 to $2 million and said the higher figure was “not even a topic of conversation.”
