North Texas data center clears key hurdle despite strong opposition from neighboring residents

A Tarrant County town is one step closer to hosting a large data center. The planning and zoning committee in the town of Westlake, north of Fort Worth, voted this week to approve the site plan, which is located on nearly 88 acres of land near Highway 377. 

On Tuesday, at the end of a meeting that was crowded with concerned neighbors, the committee approved the project, setting up a vote on final approval in the town council.

"After reviewing the application, Town staff concluded that the site plan satisfied every applicable approval requirement and, in several areas, including architecture, setbacks, buffering, and landscaping, exceeded the Town's minimum standards," the town said in a statement. "Given the site plan's compliance with the applicable approval criteria, there was no available basis on which the Commission could deny the site plan."

According to a presentation by the developer, the campus will contain four buildings including a private electrical substation and backup generators. The plans also include new trees, landscaping and other features to keep the center largely hidden from view.

Neighbors raise concerns over noise, traffic and water use

Among the opponents of the data center are residents of the Marshall Ridge neighborhood in Keller, which borders the data center site. The nearest homes would be 506 feet from the building line, which Westlake says far exceeds the 150-foot minimum.

The other concerns voiced about the project include traffic, noise, electricity use and water consumption. 

An FAQ on Westlake's website says the data center will use less water than an average golf course and will not impact water or electricity bills. The town also says the impact on traffic will be minimal once the center is operational, with about 75 employees at the site at any given time.

At Tuesday's meeting, the developer also agreed to add more sound mitigation than was already planned to help make it less bothersome for neighbors.  

In a statement, Keller Mayor Ross McMullin said the city remains in full support of its residents.

"We also expect our neighbor to the north to treat our residents with the same courtesy and respect as they have over the longstanding history of our towns," McMullin said. "In that spirit, we will continue to fully review the processes and procedures related to Westlake's project, and will continue to work with our residents to best support them."

Westlake's next town council meeting is on Aug. 18, but an agenda has not yet been published.