Venice council advances data center moratorium

VENICE, Fla. (WWSB) - Venice City Council unanimously passed the first reading of a moratorium on data center development.If approved, Venice would join Sarasota and Manatee counties, as well as North Port, in pausing data center talks. The moratorium would last 12 months if enacted.The council must still hold a second reading and vote to enact the moratorium. That reading and final vote will be held Oct. 27.Manatee County approves one-year moratorium on data centers Mayor Nick Pachota said the issue has drawn limited public response in Venice.“For us in Venice, because it’s so unlikely to have something come to us, it’s been something where not a lot of people have showed up to speak on it,” Pachota said. “I mean, we’ve gotten some emails. We’ve gotten... I mean, I personally have gotten some communication from residents, but nobody was... it’s definitely not as a hot topic as it is down in North Port where they have space for it to happen.”Pachota said unlike other areas with more op