Fort Worth Zoning Commission votes against data center restrictions
After a discussion that lasted more than two hours, the Fort Worth Zoning Commission voted 7-4 at its July 8 meeting to recommend denial of a sweeping and controversial proposal that would bring data centers into the city’s zoning code and establish development standards for them.
The proposed zoning rules are part of a larger package of rule changes aimed at protecting residents from the potential impact of data centers, while still ensuring the city can capture some of the economic benefit of new development.
The Fort Worth City Council is expected to weigh both the zoning rules at its meeting on Aug. 11 after council members received a briefing on the proposal from Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Jesica McEachern in June.
The proposed zoning rule changes include prohibiting cryptocurrency mining and changing certain development standards.
Here’s what the changes would do:
- Require a 250-foot gap between data center buildings and the property line of nearby residential developments.
- Allow parking and driveways within that 250-foot gap.
- Require a 300-foot gap between homes and any outdoor ground-mounted equipment — generators, heat exchangers, cooling equipment, etc.
- Require outdoor ground-mounted equipment be screened in by a masonry wall that’s at least 10 feet tall or one foot higher than the equipment — whichever is greater.
- Require rooftop cooling equipment be surrounded by an acoustic barrier that’s at least 1.5 times the height of the equipment.
- Limit outdoor lighting to 20 feet high.
- Any outdoor lighting within 150 feet of a neighborhood can’t throw any ambient light into that neighborhood.
- Require a continuous row of evergreen trees to surround the development.
Along with zoning rules, the city is considering changes to regulations governing water use, noise, and economic development agreements.
The city has received over 900 responses to a survey sent out to residents about the proposed changes, Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Jesica McEachern told commissioners.
At Wednesday’s meeting, over 20 people spoke to commissioners, arguing that the city is moving too quickly on a decision that will affect Fort Worth for generations.
“Data center regulation is a fast-moving area where best practices are changing rapidly,” said Krista Erbe, a Fort Worth resident who is a member of a local group opposing a data center development in west Fort Worth. Erbe is among residents calling for a city moratorium on data center developments.
Usually, the zoning commission limits all the speakers in opposition to an agenda item to seven minutes total. On Wednesday, though, the commission allowed every speaker unlimited time to voice their opinion. Comments lasted well past 5 p.m., when City Hall closes, before commissioners discussed the proposal among themselves.
Commissioners took issue with several aspects of the proposal, including that 250-foot setback, language that would allow data centers in all of Fort Worth’s industrial zoning districts, and considered whether it was simply too soon for them to make a sound decision.
Several hours after the meeting began, as the sun began to sink toward the horizon, commissioner Jacob Wurman raised his hand for a point of order.
“We spent four months deliberating the Stockyards amendments, and we’re going to do this in five minutes,” Wurman said. “I do feel like we’re being asked to do this rather quickly … it just feels a little bit under the gun.”
Commissioners weighed voting to continue the item to a later meeting to allow more time to process the information presented by McEachern and residents who spoke, but ultimately voted to deny recommending that the city council approve the proposal.
The Fort Worth city manager’s office has a website on the proposed data center regulations, www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/city-manager/datacenters, and residents can complete a survey that will close July 15.
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