Red Oak City Council approves 830-acre data center amid community opposition

The Red Oak City Council in Texas narrowly approved an 830-acre data center campus, slated to include nearly a dozen buildings and substations, despite overwhelming opposition from over 150 residents who attended the late-night meeting. Concerns raised by community members, including Martell Edwards and Scott Friend, focused on potential traffic congestion, noise, water runoff, and light pollution from the industrial development. A petition opposing the project garnered nearly 1,600 signatures in the town of 20,000. The project, developed by Compass, received approval in a 4-1 vote after the council adopted several changes to the zoning ordinance, including requirements for lighting shielding, decibel limits, and a ban on cryptocurrency mining. This approval came despite the Red Oak planning and zoning board recommending denial. City staff assured residents that the data centers would utilize closed-loop water-cooling systems, consuming less water annually than a Walmart Supercenter, and highlighted a planned $72 million investment in electric grid reinforcements, referencing Texas's Senate Bill 6 which mandates high-demand industrial customers use a "kill switch" during grid strain. Council member Ricardo Miller argued that the data center development would impose fewer demands on city resources than comparable residential growth, while council member Sean Flannery defended the transparency of the six-year planning process. However, residents like Bobby Mason expressed disappointment and a sense of betrayal. The city council also approved a $2.82 million tax abatement over the next decade, though most new jobs are expected to be temporary construction roles, with city staff acknowledging that the construction phase would be the most impactful for residents.