City of Brenham tightens reins on water-intensive car washes and data centers | Home | southtexasnews.com

The Brenham Planning and Zoning Commission has put forth a comprehensive set of new regulations targeting car washes and data centers, driven by concerns over rapid growth and high utility consumption within the city. Development Services Director Stephanie Doland highlighted water consumption as the primary focus of these proposed amendments. For data centers, the ordinance redefines facilities to encompass modern uses like AI processing and cryptocurrency mining, while explicitly prohibiting water-consumptive evaporative cooling systems. Instead, facilities will likely need to adopt oil-chilled or closed-loop cooling methods to protect the city's water supply. Beyond water conservation, the proposed standards aim to manage industrial growth's visual impact and proximity to sensitive areas. New data centers would be required to be screened by fences and maintain a 300-foot separation from residential areas, schools, churches, and daycares. Crucially, while a large-scale data center currently under construction in Brenham is grandfathered under its existing permit for its current phase, any future expansions or "building add-ons" will be subject to the new, stricter environmental and utility standards, necessitating a Specific Use Permit. Director Doland clarified that the ordinance is designed to be comprehensive for large-scale operations while excluding small, accessory server rooms. The Commission's recommendations are now advancing to the Brenham City Council for final consideration next week. If approved, these changes will signify a major shift in Brenham's industrial zoning policies, emphasizing long-term resource sustainability over unregulated expansion.