Hutto data center: Residents file formal protest against Zydeco Data Center

Residents near the proposed Zydeco Data Center in Hutto, Texas, have filed two formal written protests to trigger a state-mandated supermajority vote by the Hutto City Council. Organized through the "Stop the Hutto Data Center" Facebook group, the coalition invoked Texas Local Government Code 211.0061. This statute requires a three-fourths vote for a zoning change if 20% or more of nearby landowners formally protest. Organizers, including resident Katie Martin, state the development at 450 Ed Schmidt Boulevard seeks to amend the Hutto Future Land Use Map and the Upper Schmidt’s Creek Planned Unit Development to permit a large-scale data center. Residents are concerned about 24/7 low-frequency noise, impacts on the local power grid, and the long-term risk of a heavy industrial zone adjacent to residential neighborhoods, arguing the proposal bypasses the Hutto’s SOAR 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Martin also noted that with no tenant secured and no approval from ONCOR (an electricity provider), Zydeco is seeking a "blank check" at the expense of the neighborhood. The Hutto City Council's final vote on the project is scheduled for May 7th. The article also contextualizes this local issue with broader state discussions, mentioning that Texas lawmakers and the House State Affairs Committee are studying how data center growth impacts quality of life, resource finite-ness, and electric grid reliability, citing an example where Hays County leaders called for a moratorium on industrial projects due to water concerns.