Lakeland data center developer cancels review meeting. What's next?

Legal representatives for a proposed 600,000-square-foot data center in Lakeland, Florida, canceled a scheduled meeting with the city's Development Review Committee. The cancellation followed the developer, Ryan Companies U.S. Inc., and their representative, Kimley-Horn, receiving a 13-page report from Lakeland city staff outlining numerous questions and concerns regarding their conceptual plan, dubbed "Project Swan."

City staff, including Brian Rewis, Lakeland's director of community and economic development, highlighted the preliminary nature of the review, emphasizing that it is not an approval or denial step but a way for developers to receive feedback. Staff's concerns included a lack of specific details on anticipated power and water usage, as well as questions about electrical fees, fire prevention, flood plain management, and stormwater.

The next steps for the applicant involve reviewing these comments and deciding whether to submit additional information or pursue formal applications. The project requires voluntary annexation into Lakeland from Polk County, along with land-use designation and zoning applications. These formal steps would trigger a minimum five-month review process involving the Planning and Zoning Board and the City Commission, including public hearings where residents can provide "on-the-record" testimony.

City officials acknowledged previous public advocacy against the project, stating it was "not ineffective" but would be more impactful during formal hearings. As of June 2, no formal applications for annexation, land use, or zoning had been filed with the city.