Florida’s local governments grapple with data center development

(The Center Square) – Florida’s local governments must decide how to handle data center development. Lakeland may choose to hit the pause button.

The Lakeland City Commission met Monday where they discussed a 12-month moratorium on hyperscale data centers. Currently, there’s a proposal for a 600,000 square foot data center that would sit on 60 acres in Polk County.

This year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Senate Bill 484, which deemed local governments had the power to decide development regulation for data centers.

Lakeland wouldn’t be the first to hit pause on data center development. Earlier this month, Nassau County approved a 12-month moratorium on the acceptance, review, or approval of applications for development permits related to data centers. They said the moratorium would give the county time to amend its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code.

During Monday’s meeting, Lakeland City Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley called the data center conversation “a global ...