Killeen council to discuss data center regulations at City Hall meeting

The Killeen City Council is scheduled to meet to address the controversial topic of data center regulation in the city. The discussion, initially proposed by Councilwoman Mellisa Brown and approved on August 4, aims to establish a framework for how Killeen should zone and manage future data center developments.

Councilwoman Brown suggests zoning data centers as manufacturing facilities with mandatory conditional use permits, similar to cellphone towers. This approach would allow the city to impose restrictions on setbacks, utility usage, and environmental safeguards, while also providing flexibility to adapt to new state stipulations.

Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Gonzalez emphasized that regulations should vary based on the type and size of data centers, but generally, developers should bear the full cost of required infrastructure to avoid burdening existing residents and businesses. She also stated that facilities with higher electrical and environmental impacts would face stricter requirements.

The council's agenda presentation notes that Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently imposed a statewide halt on new data center construction, ordering an audit of all filed permits by the Public Utility Commission and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. The discussion will also differentiate between data center types and their impacts, referencing the example of NG Research Lab, whose proposed zoning for a "computing and energy research annex" was previously recommended for disapproval by the Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission, leading the applicant to withdraw the request.