DeSoto County commissioners approve one-year data center moratorium, exempting existing project

The DeSoto County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approved a one-year data center moratorium ordinance that exempts the DCIP Group project and its two additional rezoning permits. The current version of the ordinance proposed a one-year moratorium, despite the planning commission’s July 7 recommendation for a two-year moratorium that would pause the additional permits. The BoCC voted on the one-year version following tonight’s public hearing and discussion. The BoCC previously approved the first rezoning ordinance for the DCIP Group project on March 24, which covered a 34-acre site. On May 7 and May 13, the DCIP Group filed two additional rezoning applications for 553 acres and 274 acres, respectively, bringing the total proposed site to 862 acres. In a press release following the July 7 planning commission meeting, DCIP Group announced updates to its concept plan. DCIP Group says the revised plan reduces the overall campus size to 854 acres and decreases the footprint of the proposed data center buildings by 53%. Less than 100 acres, or 10.9% of the property, is planned for data center buildings, while approximately 75% of the property will remain open land. Additional changes include repositioning parking areas away from nearby homes, expanding landscape buffers and setbacks to 200 to 500 feet from surrounding neighbors, and positioning power generation within the campus to maximize distances to residents, according to the DCIP Group. They say existing wetlands and floodplains will continue to be preserved and protected. "Listening is an important part of being a good neighbor," said Jon Brown, chief executive officer of DCIP Group. "The amended concept plan reflects what we heard from the community. We believe these changes create a better balance between responsible development, environmental stewardship, and respect for the people who call DeSoto County home." Count on Gulf Coast News to keep you updated on this developing story. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.