Tarrant commissioner: Data center debate ‘transcends partisan sides’

Tarrant County Commissioner Matt Krause stated that the debate over data centers "transcends partisan sides" and called for regulatory guardrails after a town hall event in Hurst. Residents of Precinct 3, including some from The Lakes at Marshall Ridge Homeowners Association in Keller, expressed concerns about a planned data center in Westlake, demanding regulations on water usage, power consumption, noise, and neighborhood setbacks.

Speakers at the town hall accepted the necessity of data centers due to AI growth but questioned the need for financial incentives and developers' trustworthiness, comparing the industry's expansion to a speculative gold rush. Cate Brennan, a Democrat running for Texas House 98, echoed the need for intelligent development rather than simply opposing it.

Commissioner Krause, a Republican whose term extends through 2028, indicated that the county might develop a legislative agenda for the 2027 session focusing on data centers. He suggested a regulatory model where the state sets broad criteria, leaving discretion to cities. The Fort Worth City Council recently adopted a rule requiring data center applications to comply with Governor Greg Abbott's statewide audit.

Constituents like Holly Doty from Keller advocated for mandatory public disclosure on data center projects and substantial zoning separation from neighborhoods. Concerns were also raised about the strain on the state's power grid and potential electricity price inflation, leading some to propose regulations that favor projects generating their own power and minimizing water usage. Krause acknowledged these points, suggesting the Legislature might review tax incentives for data centers.