DeSoto County commissioners to vote on 238-acre data center
DeSoto County commissioners are set to vote on a rezoning proposal for a nearly 238-acre data center campus with up to 1.8 million square feet of buildings. Concerns include water and energy use, noise, traffic, wetlands, wastewater, air quality and insufficient project details; the planning commission recommended denial, while the county has also approved a one-year moratorium on most new data center applications.
DeSoto County commissioners are scheduled to decide whether to rezone nearly 238 acres for a proposed data center campus that could include up to 1.8 million square feet of buildings. The DeSoto County Planning Commission previously recommended denying the rezoning request, citing a lack of information needed to evaluate the project.
County officials and nearby residents have raised questions about the facility’s water and electricity consumption, wastewater handling, air quality, noise, lighting, traffic, wetlands impacts and connections to county utilities. Commissioner Missy Servia said the proposal was not ready for conditions or compromise because too many questions remained unanswered. Commissioners previously approved a one-year moratorium on processing and approving data center applications, although the moratorium does not apply to the 3F Ranch or Swisser Properties proposals.