TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: An Ordinance of the City of North Port, Florida, Establishing a Temporary Moratorium on the Acceptance, Processing, Review, Approval, or Issuance of Building Permits, Rezoning, Site Plans, Conditional Use Approvals, Variances, Comprehensive Plan Amendments, or Other City Approvals for the Construction, Establishment, Expansion, or Intensification of Data Centers, Data Center Facilities, Large-Scale Data Centers, and Large Load Customer Facilities Within the Municipal Limits of the City of North Port; Providing Exceptions; Directing Study and Evaluation of Data Center Impact; Providing for Enforcement; Providing for Notice; Providing for Findings; Providing for Conflicts; Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve Ordinance No. 2026-25 as presented and continue to second reading on September 8, 2026.
* Pros: Furthers the will of the Commission expressed during the City Commission Regular Meeting held on July 21, 2026.
* Cons: Opens the pathway to legal challenges against the City, especially with a pending data center development application.
Option 2: Don't approve Ordinance No. 2026-25 as presented and continue to second reading on September 8, 2026.
* Pros: Avoids legal challenges, including any challenge posed by the pending data center development application.
* Cons: Does not further the will of the Commission expressed during the City Commission Regular Meeting held on July 21, 2026.
Background Information
During the City Commission Regular Meeting held on July 21, 2026, Agenda Item 26-0985 went before Commission for the Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Data Center Moratorium. City Attorney Fuino introduced the item including allowable uses in light/heavy industrial zoning, state law consideration, moratorium processes and compliance, effective date options, O...
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