Edgewater approves ban on AI data centers as Orange County weighs moratorium

EDGEWATER, Fla. - Edgewater city leaders have unanimously approved a ban on artificial intelligence data centers, saying they want to prevent large-scale developments before companies seek to build them.

The City Council voted Monday to enact what Mayor Diezel DePew described as a permanent ban. The measure takes effect immediately and serves as a bridge to Charter Amendment 4, a November ballot measure that would place the prohibition in the city charter.

City cites unknown long-term impacts

Local perspective:

City officials said the move is intended to protect residents from potential impacts associated with large AI data centers.

"We're going to make sure that we don't have any kind of negative developments impacting our lives," Mayor Diezel DePew said.

Councilmember Eric Rainbird said the city wanted to act before developers submitted proposals.

"We're doing this now to stop a data center company from coming in here before the November ballot and putting an application in," Rainbird said.

Charter vote scheduled for November

What's next:

While the ordinance is now in effect, city leaders said a future City Council could reverse it. They argue placing the ban in the city charter would make it permanent unless voters choose to change it.

"We do have a permanent ban, a permanent moratorium, but what you need to understand is five members can change that," DePew said. "If it's in our city charter, the residents voted for that, it's the law of the land."

Debate grows across Central Florida

Big picture view:

Edgewater joins a growing number of Central Florida communities, including Titusville and Flagler County, that have taken steps to block AI data centers amid concerns about their long-term impacts.

The local debate comes as President Donald Trump has promoted AI infrastructure, writing on Truth Social that, "AI, and Data Centers, will be the Greatest Economic Development Engine in History — Bigger than Oil, Gold, Diamonds, or even the Internet."

Orange County commissioners are expected to discuss a proposed 12-month moratorium on AI data centers during Tuesday's meeting.