What This Rezoning Means for Our Community
A plain-language look at the real-world impacts of large-scale industrial development on power, water, noise, land, human health, wildlife, and AI economic impacts, and the long-term character of Citrus County.
Massive Electrical Demand with No Defined Limit
Hyperscale data centers are among the most electrically intensive land uses in existence. A facility of the scale being discussed could require 50 to 300+ megawatts of continuous power — the equivalent of tens of thousands of homes.
This demand does not stay on-site. To deliver it, Duke Energy or other utilities would likely need to:
- Build new high-voltage substations in or near the Holder/Lecanto corridor
- Construct new transmission lines across Citrus County
- Potentially add new generation capacity to meet demand
These are permanent, infrastructure-level changes. And because utilities recover infrastructure costs across their customer base, Citrus County residents may see upward pressure on electricity rates as a result — even if they never benefit directly from the facility.
At the current rezoning stage, there are no defined limits on electrical demand, no plan for grid upgrades, and no requirement to study rate impacts on residential customers.
Our Aquifer Is at Risk
Citrus County is heavily dependent on the Floridan Aquifer System for its water supply. Large-scale data centers use significant water for cooling — and the type of system used determines how much.
- Evaporative cooling systems may require hundreds of thousands to millions of gallons per day
- Closed-loop systems use less water, but still require infrastructure and heat rejection
At this scale, the questions that matter — which cooling method will be used, what the daily water withdrawal will be, which aquifer source will be tapped — are not answered by the current applications.
The environmental concerns extend beyond water alone. Large-scale land clearing at 800+ acres:
- Alters natural drainage patterns and stormwater flow
- Increases heat island effects in the area
- Disrupts existing ecosystems and habitat
There are currently no proposed caps on daily water withdrawal. No aquifer impact study has been required as a condition of this rezoning application.
Noise That Never Stops
Industrial data centers are not quiet facilities. They run continuously — 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — and produce persistent noise from multiple sources:
- Large-capacity cooling fans running at high RPM
- Mechanical chillers and HVAC equipment
- Backup generators (including during regular testing cycles)
- Electrical hum from high-load transformers and power systems
The most problematic aspect is low-frequency noise (LFN). Unlike higher-pitched mechanical sounds that attenuate quickly, low-frequency noise:
- Travels farther than perceived — impacts can extend well beyond the facility boundary
- Penetrates walls and structures more easily than higher-frequency noise
- Is associated with sleep disruption, stress, and other health effects at prolonged exposures
- Is notoriously difficult to measure and regulate with standard noise ordinances
There are currently no binding noise standards, no requirement to model low-frequency noise propagation, and no setback requirements defined for this proposal.
A Permanent Shift in Who We Are
Citrus County is a rural, low-density community whose character is shaped by its natural environment, agricultural land, and the quality-of-life values that bring and keep residents here. The Holder and Lecanto corridor is currently defined by that character.
Heavy industrial zoning changes that. Not temporarily — permanently. Once approved:
- The land can accommodate a wide range of industrial uses, not just the data center currently described
- Adjacent property values and rural quality of life may be significantly affected
- Future development pressures along the CR 491 / US-41 corridor may accelerate
- Reversing re-zoning is rarely achieved and requires significant political will
Residents consistently describe concerns about the loss of Citrus County’s “quiet nature” lifestyle — the space, the sky, the silence. These are not abstract values. They are the reason many people chose to live here.
No Data Center in Citrus County
Protect our Nature Coast Community – Stop unalterable changes to power demand, water usage, noise levels, human and wildlife health, and land use permanence —