Potential Big Project In Citrus

I had something entirely different planned for today until I got the public records request in for something I found. Due to that, we are shifting gears and talking Data Centers.

This is some deep stuff, so a bit long today.

If you missed it over on the Facebook page yesterday, I posted the following picture:

This is part of an application that is coming to the PDC at some point, I believe March, and then the BOCC.

I found it by visiting the county's "Look What's Coming" page on the county website. There you will find a PDF with a list of projects that are currently being worked on within the county and are at various stages.

In there, towards the bottom is this project.

I saw that this was a large project that has not come up in any conversations I have had with anyone. Usually there is some buzz with large projects like this... this one had NONE. Changes being made to 800 acres including re-zoning and not a peep about it?

So I looked up the intersection of 491 and Tram Road and found it next to the current Holder Industrial Complex that is under construction with utilities being installed.

Interesting.

Now you have my attention. I wanted more information so I did a records request for the application and received that yesterday.

The proposal here is to expand the acreage of the Industrial Park by roughly 800 acres, bringing the entire park site to approximately 1,355 acres, from the original 554.6 acres that was previously approved.

Time to jump into the time machine and give a bit of history of the site.

Going back to 2015, Duke Energy and Deltona Corp (owner of the property) worked with the Citrus County Economic Development Agency to conduct a feasibility study for this parcel to create an industrial park. The study was done and showed that it was feasible, but lacked some infrastructure, mainly water and sewer.

There was community pushback then as they were taking land that was zoned for agriculture and turning it into the most intensive land category we have... industrial.

This was heard by the BOCC in 2017, but they denied it 3-2. There were concerns regarding traffic, water, setbacks and so on. Basically, it was too broad of a plan for BOCC to approve it.

It came back to the BOCC in 2019 and was approved 5-0 after a bit more specific plan was presented. The plan was to create light industrial manufacturing as well as areas that would allow 400 "workforce" homes.

Here is a video taken around that time showing this original project.

Now.. back to today.

This is two applications. One is the Comp Plan and LDC Amendment application. The other is Atlas Amendment Application.

Basically, what they are looking to do is change the zoning on 800 acres from mostly low density residential and medium density residential (one part is rural zoning) to industrial to allow the expansion of the industrial park. This is part of the application.

The application goes on to talk about the proposed use, which will be Tier II Industrial uses and mentions the allowed uses and changes to them as part of this application.

But here is the secret to all of this, as you will see in a bit.

So who is the end user they have in mind that is facilitating this change? For that, we go to the other documents that are included and mentioned... the comp plan adjustment and strike throughs.

You see, the Holder Industrial Park has its own comp plan and development regulations I guess you would call them. This outlines what is and is not allowed in this area. For instance, no gun range is allowed. It also outlines things like housing densities should they decide to do workforce housing.

I will be showing pictures from the proposed changes to the comp plan and development for this project. The blue text is what is being changed to.

One of the changes to this plan as part of this application allows them to expand the total acreage for housing from 10% of the total acreage to 25% and increase the density from 8 units per acre to 12 units per acre.

Ok so some changes to the allowed housing that could greatly increase the density. But since this would be industrial, the Live Local Act would also apply and they could build homes in this area anyway... without approval.. so not a major deal here.

But remember we are trying to figure out the end user. This next section tips it off.

These are the changes to Section 3 of allowable uses within the Industrial Park. Notice the blue changes and the strikeouts in red.

The ONLY additions to this comp plan change are related to Data Centers. That is it. They also redline restrictions that would limit cross over. The previous Industrial Park is Tier I. This one would be Tier II... and now... these uses can be for ALL of the industrial park.

In theory, this allows the data center to take up all 1300+ acres and include housing and all of that.

But... how do we know it is a data center? Nothing on the application mentions a data center except for this use... but ask yourself why they would change the allowed uses and include ONLY these data center uses if they were not planning a data center? Does not make sense.

But more importantly for us to realize...

Remember above, they mentioned they have a potential single user and did not need the PUD process and all of that? Why is that important? Because if this change is approved and it is in fact a data center as I believe, then that project DOES NOT come back to the BOCC for approval. This change is all that they need to get it going.

That is why they are going this route. They know there will be community pushback for a project of this size... let alone a data center. If they can get it through the PDC and the BOCC with little fan fare because it is NOT an application for a data center... then they can build it without an ability to stop it at a future meeting since there will be no future meeting.

The concrete plant in Hernando is a perfect example. No one knew it was going there until it did... and by then it was too late since it was an approved use YEARS ago. No presentation to the BOCC for approval. Only county level permit approvals, but the county could not stop it since it was an approved use.

This appears to be lining up to be the same. Get the approval of the zoning changes and the comp plan/LDC change with as little information as possible... then bring in the data center as a by right development without a need for BOCC approval.

Also avoids placing a big vote during an election year in front of the BOCC. All they are voting on now is adding more industrial land and changes that would allow a data center, should the developer want one.

They can survive the change to industrial as it expands the footprint already there... but can they survive a vote to approve a Data Center, should they have needed to vote on that? Can the developer risk that vote? Not so sure.

Want to limit how many people show up and protest at a meeting? This is how you do that.

Keep in mind the clock is ticking on this. DeSantis wants to limit data centers and there are two bills going through Florida Legislature right now that would do that. If this is approved before those take effect, then they can avoid much of that I assume.

Speculation time...

One other thing to consider... Remember that $2.8 million we received from DeSantis back in August 2024. What are the odds that the grant was related to this project and given for this end user?

Data Centers need a TON of water to cool things, Holder needed sewer and water utilities to the site.

Duke has very powerful lobbyists and is clearly involved in this site.... and guess who would provide the electric to this project? They stand to make MILLIONS off a data center.

Puts this event in a new light huh? Along with over $4m they (Duke) gave in campaign contributions to DeSantis' associated PACs and various republican groups through 2023.

And now we get funding to help get the Industrial Park water/sewer...

Coincidence?

With his change of stance regarding data centers, I wonder if he would still do this grant today? Hmmm.

This is long enough for today. This project was teased as coming to the PDC in March, so we have a bit of time to discuss the pros and cons of this type of project. I am still doing a bit of research on all of that and want to present you all with data... not ready for that yet.

For now, just wanted to get this on your radar. The county and the developer are likely not thrilled that I figured this out and have put it out publicly this early... but it is something we need to discuss.

I have some records requests going out for emails and communication about this project and will keep you all posted on what I find.

Happy Friday!