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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Residents push back against proposed data center
A proposed data center in Lakeland is already getting major pushback from the community. FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports.
LAKELAND, Fla. - A proposed data center in Lakeland is facing significant new hurdles after the applicant withdrew from a scheduled review meeting with city officials, delaying the project's next steps and raising questions about its future.
Developer cancels review meeting
The backstory:
The city of Lakeland announced Tuesday that engineering consultant Kimley-Horn, the applicant behind the proposed "Project Swan" data center, requested the cancellation of a Development Review Team (DRT) meeting scheduled for Wednesday, after receiving initial review comments from city staff.
According to the city, Kimley-Horn must now review those comments and decide whether to submit more information, seek clarification from city staff, or move forward with formal applications.
What we don't know:
No final decisions have been made regarding the project, and city officials say there is currently no deadline requiring Kimley-Horn to respond.
Proposed Lakeland data center already facing opposition
What they're saying:
The proposed development would bring a 550,000-square-foot data center to the area near Old Tampa Highway and Wilkinson Road.
Residents packed a recent Lakeland City Commission meeting on Monday to voice concerns about the project, citing potential impacts on noise levels, energy consumption, water usage and local wildlife.
At the time, city officials acknowledged the concerns while emphasizing that the proposal was still in its early stages.
Zoning issues present largest obstacle
What we know:
According to city review documents, one of the biggest challenges facing the project is that data centers are not currently permitted under the existing zoning framework for the site.
City staff noted that data centers are not listed as an allowed use in Lakeland's Land Development Code and are therefore presumed prohibited.
The property also spans multiple jurisdictions and land-use designations, including unincorporated Polk County residential land, City Business Park property and a Planned Unit Development.
The current PUD zoning was originally approved for a fertilizer processing facility and later amended for a solar field. It does not authorize a data center.
To move forward, the applicant would need to complete a voluntary annexation, obtain multiple land-use amendments, secure a major PUD modification and hold a community meeting.
Utility requirements could be costly
By the numbers:
Lakeland Electric also outlined significant financial requirements before it would even begin evaluating the project.
Among the conditions:
- A minimum 15-year electric service agreement.
- A guaranteed monthly bill equal to at least 80% of contracted capacity.
- A security deposit equal to 2.5 times the average monthly electric bill.
- Payment of all utility studies and infrastructure upgrades by the developer.
The city has not released estimates of the project's anticipated power demand.
Water and wastewater capacity remains unclear
Dig deeper:
City reviewers also identified concerns related to water and wastewater infrastructure.
Officials say the wastewater system serving the area has limited available capacity, and Kimley-Horn must provide detailed information about the facility's anticipated water usage, cooling systems and water recycling methods.
Data centers are often large consumers of water, particularly for cooling operations.
Environmental and floodplain challenges
The site also has environmental constraints that could complicate development.
According to city documents, portions of the property contain wetlands and FEMA-designated floodplain areas.
Any future development would require elevated buildings and critical infrastructure, including generators and electrical equipment, to meet flood protection standards.
Kimley-Horn must also complete drainage studies demonstrating that increased pavement and building coverage would not negatively affect nearby properties or the city's stormwater system.
Extensive studies required before approval
Before any future application can move forward, city officials are requiring several third-party studies examining potential impacts on the surrounding community.
Those studies include:
- Noise impact analyses
- Air quality evaluations
- Water quality assessments
- A major traffic study
- Coordination with Polk County regarding roadway access
Many of those concerns mirror issues raised by residents during recent public comments.
What's next:
The project remains in the concept review stage, and city officials stress that no approvals have been granted.
Kimley-Horn must now determine whether it wants to revise the proposal and continue pursuing approvals.
For now, the timeline is entirely in the developer's hands, and city officials say additional public hearings would still be months away if the applicant chooses to move forward.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from the city of Lakeland, interviews with Lakeland residents who spoke during Monday's commission meeting and previous FOX 13 News reporting.