Fort Worth City Council voted Tuesday to impose a 90‑day moratorium on new data‑center rezoning and permit applications. The pause gives the city time to consider a set of 19 recommendations from the Fort Worth Data Center and Infrastructure Commission, which was created to study the rapidly growing industry.
Why the moratorium matters
Residents have raised concerns about the water consumption, electricity use, noise levels and overall impact of data centers on surrounding neighborhoods. The commission’s report calls for closed‑loop cooling systems to reduce local water use and recommends a separate noise study of existing facilities.
Local voices and historic preservation
In south Fort Worth, the debate is personal for longtime resident Jackson Weston, president of the historic Weston Gardens. “History is really important to us,” Weston said, noting that his family grew up on the property and wants to protect the century‑old garden from large‑scale development. He and other neighbors asked, “What’s the sound going to be like? How loud is it going to be?”
Weston supports the moratorium, saying he hopes Fort Worth can become a leader in thoughtful regulation that balances industry growth with community well‑being.
Current data‑center landscape
Fort Worth currently operates four data centers, the oldest dating back to 2000, with another under construction and four more in the pipeline. City staff first proposed new rules in June, but the Fort Worth Zoning Commission rejected them in July, citing disagreements over stricter regulations.
Commission member Michael Slattery emphasized that proper cooling system design can mitigate water concerns: “They don’t drink our water if we design them well.”
Next steps
The 90‑day moratorium will remain in effect while the council continues to evaluate how best to regulate future data‑center development. Officials say the pause is intended to ensure that any future growth is sustainable, respects historic neighborhoods, and safeguards essential resources for Fort Worth residents.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
