Hood County gives conditional OK to data center but will consider moratorium
A Florida-based developer who wants to bring a 2,600-acre data center complex to rural southern Hood County got conditional approval Tuesday during a commissioners meeting lasting almost eight hours.
The county commission also decided to hold a public hearing next month the idea of a moratorium on these types of major industrial projects, which would give Hood County time to establish guidelines and regulations.
After hearing public comments, which were mostly against the Comanche Circle development near Glen Rose, County Judge Ron Massingill made the motion to approve the project’s concept plan if the developer provides more information within 45 days. That includes water usage, a comprehensive drainage plan, assurances that the data center won’t affect the watershed and details about how the project wouldn’t alter the area’s rural character. The site isn’t far from Dinosaur Valley State Park.
The vote to grant the conditional approval was 4-1, with Commissioner Dave Eagle opposed.
During the public hearing, commissioners and people in the audience expressed concerns on how the data center complex will impact water availability where many rely on wells. They also talked about traffic and how many jobs would be created.
Amy Flint, who helped organize Protect the Paluxy Valley Inc. to oppose the project, said she was at least encouraged by the county’s request for more information.
“I was hoping for an outright denial of the concept plan, but giving the developer a ‘to do’ list and a time frame to complete it, will ultimately delay the project,” Flint said.
Jim Bell, who spoke against approving the concept plan, said he was concerned about noise from the data centers and the large amounts of water these operations require.
“It’s very clear that the citizens don’t want this. They don’t want this at all,” Bell said. “I’ll wager they don’t believe what they are being told. Quite frankly, I’d like to see this plan rejected. I’d like to see it go away because quite frankly, we don’t want it here.”
Ryan Hughes, managing partner with the developer, Sailfish Investments, told commissioners that he will comply with regulations and requirements and that he intends to move forward with the data center.
“I’ve heard the community’s concerns, and I want to address them with facts,” he said.
Hughes said he is under contract to purchase the land from four property owners. The property is near Tolar and about seven miles from Glen Rose.
Although Hughes said he will provide more detailed information to the county, he reiterated that he intends to move forward with the development.
Commissioner Nannette Samuelson described visiting a data center in Abilene where she learned that officials were dealing with damage to roads because of traffic and construction.
Besides granting the conditional approval for the data center concept plans, commissioners also voted unanimously to hold public hearings on Feb. 10 on a one-year moratorium on “large scale” development. Hood County does not have regulations for industry in unincorporated areas.
The county’s development commission recommended the moratorium. Christine Leftwich, the county clerk, was the chairwoman.
Leftwich told commissioners that after the Legislature designated Hood County as a special area because of its delicate watershed, the county voted on a moratorium in 1999 to halt residential construction.
Over 20 years later, the county is seeing the need for a moratorium to allow time to enact regulations on industrial growth.
“It is the recommendation of the development commission to enact a moratorium to limit the submission and approval of any concept plans relating to industrial projects until such time as comprehensive regulations can be adopted, that ensure protection of the watershed, which, incidentally, is this entire county, and regulations that safeguard the unincorporated areas of Hood County from uncontrolled development,” she said.