St. Petersburg Prohibits Standalone Data Centers
City officials determined that existing zoning codes do not permit the construction of standalone data centers.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Data Centers
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St. Petersburg has effectively banned the development of standalone data centers by interpreting current land development codes as excluding them. The city planning department concluded that because the centers are not explicitly identified as an approved use, they must be classified as prohibited.
Why it matters
The decision aims to preserve land for other development and mitigate the intense electrical and water demands associated with high-capacity facilities. This move aligns with regional efforts to control the rapid growth of large-scale infrastructure.
Senate Bill 484 classifies large-scale data centers as those with a monthly peak electrical demand of 50 megawatts or more. The city planning department determined no current category in the land development code supports these specifications.
The players
Derek Kilborn
He serves as the Planning Director for the city of St. Petersburg.
Ken Welch
He is the Mayor of St. Petersburg.
The details
Planning Director Derek Kilborn confirmed that because standalone data centers are not listed as principal uses, they are ineligible for development in St. Petersburg. The city does not offer a special-exception process to bypass this restriction, effectively closing the door on such projects under the current framework.
Timeline
July 1: Senate Bill 484 took effect at the state level.
August: Pinellas Park adopted a one-year moratorium on data center development.
September: Pinellas County commissioners restricted large facilities in unincorporated areas.
October 9: Planning Director Derek Kilborn issued a memo regarding the zoning interpretation.
The Tech Race
St. Petersburg's zoning restriction mirrors broader efforts to manage the rapid proliferation of high-demand digital infrastructure across the region. This policy marks a departure from jurisdictions seeking to attract data centers by specifically codifying their infrastructure requirements.
The zoning prohibition ensures that land within city limits remains available for commercial or residential development rather than being consumed by massive server farms. Residents will not see these high-demand facilities built in their immediate vicinity under current city policy.
The takeaway
Local governments in Pinellas County are increasingly asserting control over digital infrastructure to prioritize local land utility and resource management. Developers looking to build large-scale facilities in the area must now navigate a complex and tightening web of municipal moratoriums and prohibitions.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving landscape of infrastructure, visit our Data Centers section.
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Should local governments restrict the construction of new data centers to preserve local utility capacity?
