Bastrop eyes tighter data center zoning rules

The Bastrop City Council is exploring amendments to its zoning regulations that would mandate conditional-use permits for data centers in Industrial districts. Currently, data centers are permitted by right in these zones, primarily located in the Tahitian Village area. Council members, including Kerry Fossler, and City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino discussed the proposed changes during an August 11 meeting, aiming to ensure all future data center proposals receive direct council review. Data centers in General Commercial districts already require conditional-use permits, and no changes are planned for areas where they are prohibited, such as Parks & Open Space and Single-Family Residential zones.

This push for stricter oversight emerges as data center developments proliferate across Bastrop County, with over 5,600 acres tied to planned or potential projects. These developments have prompted significant community concerns regarding environmental impacts, including water usage, air quality, and noise pollution. City Manager Carrillo-Trevino indicated that city staff are currently reviewing a federal executive order concerning data center infrastructure to inform the final proposal, with an update anticipated at the August 25 meeting, though no immediate action items are expected.

Any prospective zoning alterations would first need to be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission before being presented to the City Council for potential approval. Concurrently, a local "coalition of Cedar Creek residents" is organizing a town hall on August 20 to address a proposed natural gas-fired power facility by Pacifico Energy, which is intended to serve a nearby data center project. The event will take place at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and will also be available online.