INDIANTOWN — After hours of public comment from a packed council chamber, the Indiantown Village Council unanimously approved a rezoning agreement for a 5,722-acre property tied to Florida Power & Light, advancing a planned unit development framework that some residents fear could pave the way for future data center construction.
The vote came during the council’s April 30 meeting on Florida Power & Light’s request for approval of the Tesoro Groves Planned Unit Development zoning agreement and master site plan for land located north and south of Southwest Kanner Highway and west of Southwest Warfield Boulevard.
The property, which was annexed into the village through an FPL purchase, previously retained Martin County’s agricultural zoning designation and required a village zoning classification. While the land is designated light industrial on the future land use map, village officials said the planned unit development, or PUD, provides the municipality with greater oversight than traditional zoning.
Village Community Development Director Deanna Freeman said the agreement gives Indiantown additional authority over future development.
“What this does with the PUD zoning agreement is provide additional safeguards, assurances, development standards and conditions and public benefits that are on offer,” Freeman said.
Planning officials said the framework also places limits on how much of the property can ultimately be developed.
“It also limits development to, I believe it’s under 1%, 2 million square feet are the traffic equivalent of general light industrial uses versus approximately half a million square feet or upwards of 114,000 residential units,” certified planner Brian Nolan said.
Despite repeated discussion of data centers during the meeting, representatives for FPL stressed that the vote was focused solely on zoning and not on any specific future project.
“They were here tonight for a rezoning and not a site-specific project, a data center, or any other type of use as strictly, as has been pointed out, a rezoning,” said Bob Raynes, an environmental attorney representing the utility.
The issue drew heightened scrutiny following the recent withdrawal of a separate proposal from applicant Silver Fox 606 for a 2 million-square-foot data facility in Indiantown, which had prompted widespread community opposition.
In response to ongoing concerns, Council Member Karen Onsager pushed for language requiring substantial financial contributions toward water infrastructure should a non-utility data center ever be proposed on the site.
“Any non-utility data center, if it happens, would not have that opportunity, would have to pay a water deposit of a significant amount, help us get our water plant online,” Onsager said.
For some residents, those protections did not go far enough.
Addressing the council during public comment, Daisy Sullivan urged officials to explicitly prohibit data centers through the rezoning agreement.
“This community has made its stance clear. The majority do not want data centers here in Indiantown. As public servants to this community, do the will of the people. You swore an oath to serve. If you’re going to pass any rezoning proposal, put language in that proposal that prohibits data centers from being built in this community,” Sullivan said.
Others argued the PUD offered a balanced path for growth while preserving local control.
Ted Astolfi, a resident and CEO of the Economic Council of Martin County, said the agreement would strengthen Indiantown’s long-term financial outlook.
“Straight zoning is great for the business, but for the village, by doing a PUD, you really create those safeguards for your residents and still accomplish the same goal. You’re diversifying your tax base, you’re expanding your tax base, and taking that burden off your residences, which is what economic development is really about,” Astolfi said.
After hearing public input and addressing council questions, members voted unanimously to approve the measure without including language banning future data centers.
Following the vote, Onsager called for the community to move forward.
“The hysteria has got to stop, the confusion has got to stop. We’ve got to work towards the things that are really vital to our community, which I think we are addressing tonight, and I think that FP&L has addressed tonight,” she said.