Hearing note, Nov. 5, 2026: The official Nov. 10 County Commission agenda lists the moratorium ordinance, File 26-1486, as Item 66, marked as the first of two required public hearings. The meeting convenes at 10 a.m. in Room 422 (Commission Chambers) of the Broward County Governmental Center. The second hearing will be held Dec. 8, 2026.
Broward County commissioners will hold the first of two public hearings on a proposed temporary moratorium on large-scale data centers in unincorporated Broward on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. The proposal would pause new approvals for data centers with an anticipated peak electrical load of 50 megawatts or more for up to one year, while the county reviews its land development rules.
The measure is listed as Broward County Legistar File 26-1486, the proposed large-scale data center moratorium ordinance, and appears as Item 66 under Public Hearing on the Nov. 10 County Commission agenda. It is a proposal only. Nothing in it is in effect yet, and no vote to enact it can happen before the second hearing.
What changed is simple: on Oct. 23 the County Attorney's Office filed a drafted ordinance, and the first hearing is Nov. 10 at 10 a.m., with the second set for Dec. 8.
What would the Broward data center moratorium do?
It would temporarily stop the county from accepting, processing or approving development applications for large-scale data centers, meaning sites with an anticipated monthly peak load of 50 megawatts or more, in unincorporated Broward. The pause would end after one year or when new county data center rules take effect, whichever comes first.
Where the Proposal Came From
The ordinance traces back to an Oct. 20 County Commission agenda item, File 26-1386, sponsored by Commissioner Lamar P. Fisher. That motion asked the County Attorney's Office to draft an ordinance establishing a temporary, one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers as defined in state law.
The drafted ordinance was approved as to form by the County Attorney's Office on Oct. 23, 2026, and was introduced the same day. The county's own summary connects it to Senate Bill 484, now Chapter 2026-65, Laws of Florida. That law set a statewide framework for large-scale data centers and, in the county's words, expressly preserved local governments' authority to regulate land development involving such facilities.
The county summary says large-scale data centers present unique planning, infrastructure, environmental and land use compatibility considerations, and that further evaluation is warranted to decide whether existing county rules adequately address them. The stated purpose of the pause is to preserve the status quo while that review happens.
What the Ordinance Would Cover
The draft uses two state definitions from Section 373.203 of the Florida Statutes. A data center is a facility that primarily contains electronic equipment used to process, store and transmit digital information. A large-scale data center is a single location with a data center on site that has an anticipated monthly peak load of 50 megawatts or more, calculated as the highest average load over a 15 minute interval.
Under Section 4 of the draft, the pause would apply to applications for rezonings, site plans, development orders, development permits, building permits and other development approvals tied to the construction, expansion or operation of large-scale data centers in unincorporated Broward, including the Broward Municipal Services District.
Three details matter for anyone with a project in motion:
- Pending applications filed before the effective date would also be paused, except as needed to protect legally established vested rights.
- Applications for properties damaged by Hurricanes Debby, Helene or Milton would not be covered.
- Any data center application filed during the pause would need documentation, certified by a Florida licensed professional engineer, showing an anticipated monthly peak load under 50 megawatts.
That last point means smaller data centers are not banned. They would need to show, with an engineer's certification, that the combined load at the site stays below the 50 megawatt line, including all tenants in a colocation arrangement.
What the Ordinance Would Not Do
The draft is narrow, and owners should read it that way.
- It would apply only in unincorporated Broward. The draft names only the unincorporated areas, including the Broward Municipal Services District, so property inside a city such as Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Park, Sunrise or Miramar falls outside its text.
- It would not affect data centers below 50 megawatts, as long as the engineer certification is provided.
- It would not create new fees or charges. The county's Business Impact Estimate says there are no new charges, fees or regulatory costs tied to the ordinance.
- It would not be permanent. It ends at one year or sooner if the county adopts data center rules.
- It would not change anything until it is enacted after the second hearing and takes effect as provided by law.
The county's Business Impact Estimate, posted as Exhibit 2 to File 26-1486, also states that no businesses within the Broward Municipal Services District are likely to be impacted and that no direct economic impact on private, for profit businesses is expected during the pause.
Who Should Pay Attention
Even with a narrow scope, several groups have reason to follow the hearings.
Property owners and landlords in unincorporated Broward who have been approached about large power users, or who market industrial land for technology tenants, may want to know how the 50 megawatt test is measured and how long a pause could last.
Contractors, engineers and electrical firms should note the certification requirement. If the ordinance passes, a Florida licensed professional engineer would need to certify the anticipated peak load for any data center application in the unincorporated area. That is a defined, professional service that local firms already provide.
AI and technology businesses that run servers, edge computing rooms or small colocation suites are almost always far below 50 megawatts. For most of them, the practical effect would be paperwork showing their load, not a stop. Companies planning larger campuses may want to watch whether the county pairs the pause with clear permanent rules.
Investors and site selectors comparing South Florida counties can use the hearing dates to plan timing. Palm Beach County weighed a similar 50 megawatt pause earlier this fall, and the outcome there is covered in the Gazette's Palm Beach County 50 MW data center pause recap.
Hearing Dates and Location
Both hearings are regular meetings of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.
- First public hearing: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. The meeting convenes at 10 a.m., with proclamations starting at 9:30 a.m.
- Second public hearing: Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2026, as stated in the agenda title for File 26-1486.
- Location: Broward County Governmental Center, Room 422 (Commission Chambers), Fort Lauderdale.
The full Nov. 10 agenda and meeting materials are on the Broward County Commission Nov. 10 meeting page on Legistar. Item 66 is the data center ordinance. The commission agenda is long, so the item may come up later in the day than 10 a.m.
How to Attend or Comment
The proposed ordinance text is posted on the county's Legistar file for File 26-1486, and the Nov. 10 meeting is open to the public.
A few practical steps help:
- Read Exhibit 1, the proposed ordinance, before the hearing. It is five pages.
- Arrive early on Nov. 10 if you plan to speak in person, since the agenda has dozens of items.
- Keep comments specific to the ordinance text, such as the 50 megawatt test, the engineer certification or the hurricane damage exception.
- Bring questions about how the rules would apply to a specific parcel to the Broward County Attorney's Office.
Questions about File 26-1486 can go to the Broward County Attorney's Office.
What to Watch at the Dec. 8 Hearing
The Nov. 10 meeting is the first required hearing. The decision point is Dec. 8. Owners can watch for:
- Whether commissioners change the draft between hearings, such as the 50 megawatt threshold, the one year length or the exceptions.
- Whether the county sets a timeline for permanent data center rules, which would end the pause early.
- How the vested rights language is applied to any application already pending.
- The effective date. The draft says it takes effect as provided by law, which typically means after filing with the Florida Department of State.
The state side of the picture is also moving. The Florida Public Service Commission's work on large load tariffs for utilities is covered in the Gazette's Florida PSC large load tariff vote guide, and the state law behind the 50 megawatt definition is broken down in the Florida SB 484 data center owner guide.
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Sources
- Broward County Legistar, File 26-1486, proposed large-scale data center moratorium ordinance
- Exhibit 1, proposed ordinance text
- Exhibit 2, Business Impact Estimate
- Broward County Commission Nov. 10, 2026 regular meeting agenda
- Broward County Legistar, File 26-1386, Oct. 20 motion to draft the ordinance
- Florida Statutes, Section 373.203 definitions
- Florida Senate, SB 484 (2026), Chapter 2026-65
Related
- Florida SB 484 data center owner guide
- Florida PSC large load tariff vote guide
- Palm Beach County 50 MW data center pause recap
Key Facts for Owners and Search
When is the Broward County data center moratorium hearing?
The first public hearing is Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, during the Broward County Commission regular meeting that convenes at 10 a.m. in Broward County Governmental Center, Room 422 (Commission Chambers), Fort Lauderdale. The second required hearing is set for Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2026. The item is File 26-1486.
Is the Broward data center moratorium in effect now?
No. File 26-1486 is a proposed ordinance that requires two public hearings before the commission can enact it. The first hearing is Nov. 10 and the second is Dec. 8, 2026. If enacted, the draft says it takes effect as provided by law, and the pause would last one year or until permanent rules take effect.
Which data centers would the Broward moratorium cover?
It would cover large-scale data centers as defined in Section 373.203(4), Florida Statutes, meaning a single location with an anticipated monthly peak load of 50 megawatts or more, measured as the highest average load over 15 minutes. It applies only in unincorporated Broward, including the Broward Municipal Services District, and not inside cities.
Can smaller data centers still apply in unincorporated Broward?
Yes, under the draft. Any data center application filed during the pause would need documentation certified by a Florida licensed professional engineer showing an anticipated monthly peak load under 50 megawatts, counting all colocation tenants at the site. Projects below that line could continue through normal county review, according to Section 4 of the proposed ordinance.
How will the Broward moratorium affect local businesses?
The county's Business Impact Estimate for File 26-1486 says no direct economic impact on private, for profit businesses is expected and no businesses in the Broward Municipal Services District are likely to be impacted. It lists no new charges, fees or regulatory costs. Applications for properties damaged by Hurricanes Debby, Helene or Milton are excluded.