DeSoto County Commission Rejects 238-Acre Data Center Rezoning in Tie Vote, Second Application Awaits Decision

DeSoto County commissioners narrowly rejected a rezoning application for a hyperscale data center project after a contentious six-hour meeting, leaving the developer's broader ambitions for a natural gas-powered data center complex in rural Florida hanging in the balance as a second vote looms.

The application sought to rezone approximately 238 acres to accommodate the project proposed by DCIP Group. The measure failed in a 2-2 tie, with Commissioner Steve Hickox recusing himself over a potential conflict of interest while nonetheless expressing reservations about the project. "Nothing in this life is free," Hickox said. "We all would have to pay a price for the financial advantages that the data center would bring."

The decision comes seven months after the county approved an initial 34-acre rezoning for DCIP Group on the site of a decommissioned power plant on Roan Street, just east of Arcadia. Since then, the company has pursued applications to rezone hundreds of additional acres — roughly 826 acres in total — to build out a complex of gas-powered data center facilities, drawing mounting community opposition along the way. In July, the county adopted a year-long moratorium on new data center projects, joining a growing number of local governments across the country imposing similar pauses.

Commissioners were sharply divided over whether the promise of substantial tax revenue outweighed concerns about noise, pollution and impacts on surrounding communities. Commissioner Elton Langford, who voted in favor, urged residents not to fear "the unknown" and said the company would bring crucial tax revenue to the rural county. Commissioners J.C. Deriso and Judy Schaefer said conversations with residents living near data centers elsewhere had made them more open to the proposal, though Schaefer ultimately said she believed the project would be "too massive." "Do I think we need a data center? Absolutely, one hundred percent," Schaefer said. "Do I think it's ready? I do not."

County planning staff had recommended denial, with Planning Director Misty Servia noting that the project did not align with the Arcadia urban area expansion philosophy and that no information had been provided about industrial wastewater disposal. A planning commission review earlier in the month also recommended denial by a 4-1 vote. DCIP Group's representatives countered that the facility would be "highly efficient" and "sophisticated," operating continuously on microgrid power generation, and argued it was consistent with the county's long-term vision for transitioning from agricultural uses to more diverse development. The company said it had not sought economic incentives and would need to obtain air permitting, protected species surveying and industrial wastewater permits if approved.

Public comment stretched for roughly 90 minutes, with the vast majority of speakers opposing the project. Residents raised concerns about particulate matter from gas turbines, the psychological effects of continuous low-frequency noise and the absence of detailed operational plans. "Not every development belongs in every location," said Ashwani Soin, who operates a nearby assisted living facility, "and economic growth cannot justify forcing vulnerable people to bear unmeasured risks." A handful of supporters, including real estate consultants who had worked with DCIP Group on land contracts, argued the project would strengthen the county's tax base. DCIP Group CEO Jon Brown declined to comment after the meeting.

Commissioners are scheduled to vote Wednesday on a second rezoning application from DCIP Group, meaning the project's fate remains unresolved. The dispute reflects a broader national tension as local governments weigh the economic benefits of data center investment against environmental and quality-of-life concerns — a debate that has intensified as demand for computing infrastructure continues to surge across the United States.