Westlake mayor defends data center on Keller border, calls it 'tough situation'
The Keller City Council is preparing to sue the city of Westlake over a data center project being built in Westlake, but significantly closer to Keller residents. Westlake's mayor defends the project, citing past zoning decisions by Keller. Residents from both cities express concerns about water consumption, pollution, and noise from the data center.
The Keller City Council has voted to take all necessary steps to prevent a data center from being built in Westlake. The proposed data center site is located 3,000 feet from Westlake homes but only 500 feet from residences in Keller, prompting significant concern among Keller residents.
Westlake Mayor Kim Greaves defended her city's economic development plans, attributing the proximity issue to Keller's 1998 decision to allow homes to be built adjacent to Westlake's designated commercial industrial land. While acknowledging the unfortunate situation for Keller residents, Mayor Greaves expressed a desire for more responsibility in Keller's past rezoning decisions.
In response, Keller is poised to file a lawsuit, with city officials stating serious concerns about whether the applicable laws have been followed. The dispute highlights shared anxieties among residents from both cities regarding the potential impact of the data center, including water consumption, pollution, and noise. Keller officials have also called for intervention from the state governor, seeking clearer guidelines on data center placement near residential areas.