Data centers have become a hot topic in St. Petersburg city elections, along with the future of Tropicana Field, the proliferation of Flock cameras and what to do about aging water and sewer systems.
Mayor Ken Welch, up for reelection, said at a recent neighborhood candidate forum, that he was waiting on a memo from his staff to confirm that the city’s code does not allow data centers within city limits.
“Our code doesn’t allow it,” he said.
The city’s planning department director, Derek Kilborn, confirmed that in a memo sent Friday to Welch. He cited state law, which largely defers to local regulations when it comes to zoning.
Kilborn said the state defines what is considered a data center and a large-scale data center. While the former is described as a facility that contains electronic equipment used to process, store and transmit digital information, the latter lists a specific load of power used on a monthly average.
Kilborn said the city’s code does not identify data centers as a permitted use within the city, and the city’s code prohibits any use that’s not listed in its code.
“For these reasons, Data Centers generally, and Large-Scale Data Centers explicitly, remain prohibited … in the City of St. Petersburg,” Kilborn wrote.
Welch confirmed after Tuesday’s mayoral debate that the code doesn’t apply to any buildings that house a small data center, only facilities where the data center is the primary use.
Welch’s challenger, former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, has called for a one-year moratorium on data centers and Flock cameras. He said he did so in response to residents’ concerns.
Each of the four City Council candidates running for the two seats on the November ballot, districts 2 and 6, said they would not support zoning changes to accommodate data centers.
“Over my dead body,” said District 2 candidate Courtney Bermudez in her response.
