Lee County Board of Commissioners Meeting - October 5, 2026

The Lee County Board of Commissioners meeting on October 5, 2026, focused substantially on the Lower Moncure Road data center and future development standards. Central Electric’s general manager said the cooperative’s current capacity supports the permitted building, while additional phases or other large loads would require further studies and could require Duke Energy transmission upgrades and new substations. He said specialized distribution equipment and substations would be paid for up front by the large-load customer to avoid shifting those costs to cooperative members; he cited about $700,000 in transformers purchased for Sanford’s water-treatment-plant expansion, paid for by the city. No data-center contract award or new procurement approval was identified. Commissioners discussed a proposed 180-day moratorium on data-center approvals, exempting the already-permitted project, and legal requirements and limits on changing the county’s UDO. The transcript does not show a vote on that moratorium proposal. Public commenters urged stronger protections and earlier public involvement.

The board denied the Lemon Springs Meadows conditional rezoning request by a 4–3 vote, approved a pet-grooming UDO text amendment, and approved the Cove at Steelbridge Road preliminary subdivision plat. It also scheduled an October 19 public hearing on the 2027 property reappraisal schedules. The consent agenda was approved, but its contents are not specified in the transcript.