St. Pete will keep data centers off its grid, per city memo
By Emma Behrmann
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Oct 13, 2026

Data centers can’t be built in St. Petersburg, city staff says.

City Planning Director Derek Kilborn told Mayor Ken Welch in an Oct. 9 memo that the city’s land development code does not include data centers in its list of permitted or special exception uses, so they are prohibited. The determination comes after a state law that preserves local governments’ authority to regulate such facilities went into effect July 1.

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