After weeks of public debate fueled by the proposed Project Swan data center, the Lakeland City Commission narrowly approved a one-year moratorium Monday on new data centers and major electric users.The ordinance passed on a clo ser-than-expected 4-3 vote.The debate has centered on Project Swan, a proposed 600,000-square-foot data center planned near Old Tampa Highway and Wilkinson Road in west Lakeland. The project prompted city leaders to begin discussing whether Lakeland's existing development rules adequately address facilities with massive electricity demands.Monday, a City of Lakeland spokesperson confirmed to Tampa Bay 28 the newly approved moratorium applies to Project Swan.The moratorium temporarily pauses approvals for new data centers and other "large load customers" expected to require at least 50 megawatts of electricity while city staff reviews existing policies and develops new regulations.Supporters repeatedly stressed the measure is intended to be a temporary planning tool, not a permanent ban on data centers."I support the moratorium, because it gives us a minute to look at what we're dealing with here," Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley said before voting in favor of the ordinance.Commissioner Guy LaLonde said the city has never established policies specifically fordevelopments with utility demands on that scale."The reason for the pause is to literally address the unknowns," LaLonde said.Many people who showed up in favor of the moratorium echoed that message during public comment. They argued Lakeland should first understand the potential effects on the electric grid, water supply, and other public infrastructure."I'm not anti-AI, by any means. I'm not even anti-data center," Sam Romain told commissioners. "But I do think that we need to make sure we're doing it the right way."Opponents of the ordinance argued the language was too broad and could discourage investment in an emerging industry.Commissioner Ashley Troutman said Lakeland should continue welcoming projects that fit the community while refining its policies.This is not me stating that we need a Fort Meade-like project in our community. I am not saying that. What I am saying is that we should allow those that fit our culture, that fit what we do well, into our city and embrace it, he said.Over the next year, city staff will review issues including electric capacity, water demand, emergency response, environmental impacts, and land-use compatibility before recommending permanent regulations for projects like Project Swan.RELATED COVERAGE After backlash over Project Swan, some call for data center moratorium in Lakeland Lakeland residents voice concerns over proposed data center Lakeland begins drafting one-year moratorium for large-scale data centers Lakeland residents urge data center moratorium as Project Swan developer defends proposal ...read more read less