90-Day Freeze: Fort Worth Data Center Plan Hits 19 New Rules

A potential 90-day moratorium on new data center construction could soon pause development in Fort Worth. The city council received this recommendation on Tuesday, November 10, from a dedicated infrastructure commission. This group spent the past months analyzing the sector's strain on local resources. The proposal would freeze new projects while officials review updated zoning codes.

The commission, appointed by the city council in August, delivered 19 specific recommendations. These guidelines address four primary areas: electricity consumption, water usage, land use, and economic effects. Among the key changes, the report urges the city to mandate closed-loop cooling systems. This technology recirculates water instead of drawing fresh supplies from local sources. The plan also proposes increasing the minimum distance between data centers and residential homes from 50 feet to 350 feet.

Additional recommendations include strict enforcement of existing noise regulations for these facilities. Commission Chair Michael Slattery described the package as a roadmap for the city. He told FOX 4 that the rules would provide developers with greater certainty. "It’s certainly not going to please everybody, and I think ever does," Slattery said. He argued the framework puts clarity around how to move the industry forward.

Residents at the Tuesday meeting offered a different view. Julie Waters, a local resident, argued that two months is insufficient time to consider all involved issues. She urged council members to listen to community concerns that have persisted through multiple meetings. Waters stated, "Listen to the cries of your people who have come before you, meeting after meeting, asking for a moratorium." She called the pause necessary to address the sector's impact on neighborhoods.

No formal action was taken on the findings during the Tuesday session. City staff indicated the next public hearing is scheduled for January 12, 2027. If adopted, the earliest a moratorium could take effect is February 2027. Officials noted that existing sites and projects currently moving through the application pipeline would be exempt from any pause.

The push for these rules follows a contentious summer. In early July, the zoning commission voted against new restrictions, citing a need for more information on the rapidly changing industry. Days later, five city council members called for a construction pause. That call led directly to the creation of the committee that produced the current report. Fort Worth currently operates four data centers, with at least four more in development.