Data centers seem to be popping up everywhere in Polk County and the local responses have varied.
Fort Meade officials agreed to take the money and run and let the details work themselves out later.
In Lakeland, in news that was first broken by Lakeland Now, the City Commission was reportedly gobsmacked by news that a preliminary application had been turned in for a site on the southwest side of town.
Meanwhile, the Polk County Commission, which one report had them discussing data centers at last weeks’ agenda study session, is not planning on any immediate discussion. according to Commissioner Rick Wilson. That is even though there is an application pending on some mined land at State Road 37 and County Road 674 in the southwest corner of the county and there is nothing in the county development code to deal with data centers.
There is reportedly another one proposed around Haines City, but no details were available.
Although the proposed Lakeland data center is smaller than the other projects, it is worth pointing out that it is closer to residential areas than the other two. (see image above)
There has also been some internet chatter about its proximity to the Silver Moon Drive-in, which may be an issue if the continuous thrum from the center is as audible as critics claim.
Watch for further developments.