{"id":2400,"date":"2026-06-03T05:05:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T05:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2400"},"modified":"2026-06-03T05:05:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T05:05:29","slug":"lakeland-data-center-proposal-hits-major-roadblock-after-developer-cancels-review-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2400","title":{"rendered":"Lakeland data center proposal hits major roadblock after developer cancels review meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

LAKELAND, Fla.<\/strong> – <\/span>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.<\/p>

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Developer cancels review meeting<\/h2>

The backstory:<\/p>

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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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

What we don’t know:<\/p>

No final decisions have been made regarding the project, and city officials say there is currently no deadline requiring Kimley-Horn to respond.<\/p>

Proposed Lakeland data center already facing opposition<\/h2>

What they’re saying:<\/p>

The proposed development would bring a 550,000-square-foot data center to the area near Old Tampa Highway and Wilkinson Road.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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At the time, city officials acknowledged the concerns while emphasizing that the proposal was still in its early stages.<\/p>

Zoning issues present largest obstacle<\/h2>

What we know:<\/p>

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.<\/p>

City staff noted that data centers are not listed as an allowed use in Lakeland’s Land Development Code and are therefore presumed prohibited.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

Utility requirements could be costly<\/h2>

By the numbers:<\/p>

Lakeland Electric also outlined significant financial requirements before it would even begin evaluating the project.<\/p>

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Among the conditions:<\/p>