Nassau County Data Center Draft: 5 Proposed Rules, a Monday Workshop in Yulee and a Jan. 8 Comment Deadline

YULEE, Fla. - Nassau County officials will discuss five major proposed rules for future data centers at a public workshop Monday, Oct. 26, including special zoning, noise and lighting limits, utility reporting, no county tax breaks and developer-funded infrastructure. The recommendations appear in a 66-page draft report released Oct. 21 by the county's Fact-Finding Committee on Data Center Development. County commissioners will review the findings as they consider how to regulate large data center projects.

The first workshop runs from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday at the Nassau County Board Chambers, James S. Page Governmental Complex, 96135 Nassau Place in Yulee. A second workshop is scheduled for Nov. 9 at the same location and time. The public is invited to both meetings, but commissioners are not scheduled to vote at the Oct. 26 workshop.

The proposed regulations come as Nassau County studies the infrastructure demands, environmental considerations and community impacts of data center development. The county already has a temporary moratorium on certain data center development applications, approved in June, while officials evaluate possible changes to local regulations. The draft does not recommend banning data centers, and residents have until Jan. 8, 2027, to submit comments through the county's online feedback portal.

What Did the Committee Recommend?

The committee's draft report includes five major recommendations described by Action News Jax on Oct. 23. They are a special zoning district for data centers, restrictions on noise and lighting, water and electricity reporting requirements, no county tax incentives and requirements for developers to pay for their own infrastructure. These proposals are recommendations for consideration, not final regulations adopted by county commissioners.

A special zoning district would mean data centers could operate only in specifically designated areas under the proposed rules. Water and power reporting would require companies to disclose information about their utility use, while limits on noise and lighting would address potential effects on surrounding communities. A policy against county tax breaks would prevent county incentive deals for these developments, while developer-funded infrastructure would place associated infrastructure costs on the companies proposing the projects.

The draft also compiles data, testimony from expert speakers and comments from residents. According to the county, the committee's goal was to review data center operations, infrastructure demands, environmental issues and community effects objectively. County officials expect to post a final version of the report before Thanksgiving 2026.

Why Is Nassau County Studying Data Centers?

The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners created the Fact-Finding Committee on Data Center Development through Resolution No. 2026-102. Its stated purpose was to conduct independent research and facilitate public comment about data center development within Nassau County. The committee gathers information and makes recommendations, but it does not make decisions about development approvals.

The committee has five members, all senior county employees. They are County Manager Taco Pope, Assistant County Manager Marshall Eyerman, Deputy County Manager and County Engineer Robert Companion, Conservation Manager Taylor Clem and Economic Resources Manager Kathy Freyman. County Attorney Denise May, Operations Manager Amy Bell and the Northeast Florida Regional Council provide support.

The committee held public meetings on June 1, 2, 8, 9, 18, 29 and 30, 2026. Meetings took place at the county board chambers in Yulee and the West Nassau High School cafetorium in Callahan. The meetings included expert testimony and public comments that helped inform the committee's work.

Is There Already a Moratorium on Data Centers?

Yes, Nassau County commissioners approved Ordinance No. 2026-044 on June 8, 2026, establishing a temporary moratorium lasting up to 12 months. The moratorium covers applications for development permits, development orders, rezonings and site plans related to data centers, data processing facilities, data mining and cryptocurrency mining operations. The county adopted the temporary restriction to provide time for studying potential development impacts and considering regulatory changes.

The moratorium allows officials to examine possible updates to Nassau County's comprehensive plan, land development rules and ordinances. It is separate from the committee's proposed permanent development regulations, which remain under review. The county has described the restriction as lasting up to 12 months, but an exact ending date should not be assumed from that description.

The moratorium also should not be confused with a permanent prohibition on data centers. Action News Jax reported that the committee's draft does not recommend banning them, because state law does not allow an outright local ban. Instead, the committee recommends establishing rules governing where and how future facilities could operate.

What Does Florida Law Allow Counties to Regulate?

Florida Senate Bill 484, enacted as Chapter 2026-65, took effect July 1, 2026, and addresses several aspects of data center development. The law preserves local governments' authority over comprehensive planning and land development regulations while preventing outright prohibition of data centers. That distinction helps explain why Nassau County's draft focuses on operating requirements and zoning rather than a ban.

The law also requires the Florida Public Service Commission to establish minimum tariff requirements intended to ensure large electricity customers pay their own cost of service. It creates separate consumptive use permitting requirements for large data centers and allows water management districts to require reclaimed water. Modifications to these water permits must be treated as new applications requiring public hearings.

These statewide provisions address some of the same concerns reflected in Nassau County's proposed regulations. Electricity demand, water use and development impacts are among the subjects officials have been studying. Local rules would still need to fit within the authority preserved by state law.

What Large Data Center Project Has Been Announced?

In September 2025, NextNRG announced plans for a 200-megawatt smart microgrid and hyperscale data center campus in Nassau County near Jacksonville International Airport. The company said it had secured a long-term lease option covering approximately 1,600 acres. Its announcement described about 1,200 acres for the microgrid and approximately 400 acres for data centers, with potential access to another 6,000 acres.

Michael D. Farkas, NextNRG's executive chairman and CEO, said in the announcement that Nassau County had the land, power, water and connectivity for the development. The proposed combination of a large microgrid and data center campus illustrates the scale of development that has been discussed in the county. However, the project's current status has not been confirmed.

There is also no confirmed connection establishing that NextNRG's announcement caused the county to create the committee or adopt its moratorium. The September 2025 announcement should not be interpreted as proof that the company submitted a development application or received county approval. The available information also does not establish a specific amount of water the proposed campus would consume.

What Do Nassau County Residents Think?

Residents have expressed different opinions about whether data centers would benefit Nassau County. In an Oct. 23 Action News Jax report, Andrew Turcott supported the concept and said he believed it could help the county through taxes and funding for schools. He described the project idea as a concept rather than an established development.

Another resident, Deb Lewis, opposed the idea and told Action News Jax she did not believe Nassau County needed it at this point. Her comments reflected opposition to bringing this type of development into the county. The disagreement underscores why commissioners are considering public comments as they review proposed development rules.

The draft report includes testimony and comments from residents along with information from expert speakers. The county has opened an online feedback portal for additional responses before its scheduled hearings conclude. Those comments give residents another way to express support, opposition or concerns about specific regulations.

How Can Residents Attend Monday's Workshop or Submit Comments?

The first workshop is Monday, Oct. 26, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Nassau County Board Chambers at the James S. Page Governmental Complex, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. The public is invited, and a second workshop will take place Monday, Nov. 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the same location. Commissioners will discuss the initial draft report, but no vote is scheduled for the Oct. 26 meeting.

Residents who need accommodations should contact the County Manager's Office at 96135 Nassau Place, Suite 1, Yulee, or call 904-530-6010 at least 72 hours in advance. Florida Relay 711 is also available. These arrangements are part of the county's official workshop notice.

People who cannot attend can provide comments through the county's Data Centers page at https://www.nassaucountyfl.com/1528/Data-Centers. The online feedback deadline is Jan. 8, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. The page provides the public feedback portal associated with the committee's recommendations.

What Happens After the October Workshop?

County commissioners have scheduled several opportunities to review the proposed regulations beyond Monday's initial discussion. The second workshop will take place Nov. 9, and the county expects to post the final committee report before Thanksgiving. These steps come before a series of public hearings scheduled for December and January.

The Planning and Zoning Board will hold a public hearing Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026. The Board of County Commissioners will hold public hearings Monday, Dec. 14, 2026, and Monday, Jan. 25, 2027. The public comment portal remains open through Jan. 8, allowing residents to submit feedback between the December and January board hearings.

The scheduled process gives commissioners additional time to consider the proposed zoning district, operating limits, utility reporting and infrastructure requirements. It also allows residents to examine the committee's work before the later hearings. The draft recommendations do not become binding county regulations simply because commissioners discuss them at Monday's workshop.

How We Did This

Jax Times used the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners' Oct. 21 workshop notice, the county's Data Centers and Fact-Finding Committee pages, and reporting from The County Insider and Action News Jax. Information about the previously announced NextNRG project came from a September 2025 Intersolar & Energy Storage North America news item. This report distinguishes draft recommendations and scheduled public proceedings from adopted regulations, and it does not treat the announced data center proposal as an approved project.