Lakeland City Commission to hold first public hearing on proposed data center moratorium
Lakeland City Commissioners are holding the first public hearing on a proposed one-year moratorium on new large-scale computing facilities. This pause would allow the city to study the potential impacts on infrastructure, including power and water use, following public concerns about a planned Project Swan data center. A second hearing is scheduled for July 20 for final consideration.
Lakeland, Florida, city commissioners are holding their first public hearing on a proposed one-year moratorium on new large-scale computing facilities. This temporary halt aims to provide city leaders with time to assess the potential impacts of data centers on Lakeland's infrastructure, including demands on power, water, traffic, and noise. City Attorney Palmer Davis is also expected to present research on how other communities are defining and regulating such facilities.
The proposed moratorium stems from months of public concern surrounding "Project Swan," a planned 550,000-square-foot data center. Residents have voiced questions regarding the facility's electricity and water consumption, as well as its potential effects on nearby neighborhoods and wildlife. In response to these concerns, commissioners directed staff in June to draft the moratorium, and the unnamed developer of Project Swan has since paused its plans to evaluate the city's requests.
Commissioners will debate the proposed ordinance publicly and gather additional public comments during Monday's hearing. A key discussion point will be how to define "large-scale computing facilities" to determine the scope of the moratorium. A final decision on the ordinance is not expected today, with the second public hearing scheduled for July 20.