Lakeland sets July 6 public hearing on data center moratorium
Lakeland, Florida, officials will hold a public hearing on July 6 for a proposed 12-month moratorium on data centers and large industrial developments. The ban was proposed by City Commissioner Guy LaLonde following public outcry against a large data center project named Project Swan. If approved, the moratorium would allow city staff to review existing comprehensive plans and land development codes.
Lakeland, Florida, is moving forward with a proposed one-year moratorium on new data centers and other large industrial developments, with a public hearing scheduled for July 6. City Commissioner Guy LaLonde initiated the proposal, citing significant public opposition to 'Project Swan,' a planned 600,000-square-foot data center on Old Tampa Highway in West Lakeland.
The proposed ordinance, which pulls its data center definition from Florida Statute 373.203, aims to pause development to allow the city to thoroughly review its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development code. It would apply to all new data centers, regardless of size, and to 'Large Load Customers' requiring 50 megawatts or more of electricity. Existing data centers, such as those operated by Cologix and Thrive Networks Inc., would be exempt but prohibited from expanding or intensifying their use.
Commissioner LaLonde emphasized that the moratorium is not intended to prejudice any specific development type but rather to ensure fair consideration of both developers' and citizens' concerns. If the moratorium is approved at a tentative vote on August 3, it would take effect immediately and could be lifted earlier by a City Commission vote. Lakeland would join several other Florida municipalities, including Clay, Citrus, Hernando, and Nassau counties, and the City of Zephyrhills, that have already enacted similar one-year bans.