As more large-scale data centers pop up across North Texas, the city of Mesquite is considering how to tighten regulations on future developments.
On Monday, council members were briefed on potential new standards, including the requirement of technical and noise studies, a utility demand analysis and a water impact plan. Site design standards would include a minimum lot size of five acres.
There would also be performance standards for electric, water, wastewater, gas and telecommunications. Noise levels would not be able to exceed 65 decibels.
Adam Bailey, director of Planning and Development Services, said the proposed new framework "supports economic investment while protecting surrounding properties and public infrastructure."
He said data centers would not be allowed in residential districts, agricultural districts, office districts, commercial districts or mixed-use districts.
The standards won't apply to any developments already in progress. Earlier this year, the city's Planning and Zoning Commission approved an application by SLS Consultants to amend standards for a planned development on Long Creek Road in order to build a data center. The council denied the zoning application during a March 16 council meeting, but Bailey told members the project was already a "permitted use by right" and met the planned development standards in place.
City Manager Cliff Keheley said the developer has been "a good actor" and will "continue to meet some of the standards that were discussed previously."
Council member B.W. Smith said he had a "heated conversation" recently with a constituent in his district who wanted to know why the council didn't do more to stop the Long Creek data center.
"I'm very pleased to see that we now have something that for future data centers we can better sink our teeth into that have more regulations that may be built somewhere else," Smith said.
Other cities and counties around Texas have been discussing how to handle large data centers as the state quickly becomes a hotspot. Somervell County commissioners last month approved a resolution opposing new data center developments until the state legislature addresses concerns over water and energy regulations.
Hill County, between Dallas and Waco, is being sued by a data center developer after county commissioners approved a yearlong moratorium.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller recently urged a statewide pause on large-scale data center developments "until we fully assess the long-term impacts on our infrastructure, agricultural economy, and communities."
Bailey said a moratorium in Mesquite could take up to180 days to go into effect and recommended council members pursue an internal ordinance if they want a pause on data center developments.
Final recommendations for the new regulation will be presented to the council during a future meeting.
Priscilla Rice is KERA's communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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