Tarrant County Court Temporarily Halts Westlake Data Center Project
A Tarrant County District Court issued a temporary restraining order on a proposed data center in Westlake, Texas, preventing the Town of Westlake from approving a development agreement. The order resulted from a filing by the Lakes at Marshall Ridge Homeowners Association, with a hearing for a temporary injunction set for August 26. The project faces strong opposition from Keller residents and the City of Keller, alongside increasing statewide scrutiny of data center development in Texas.
A Tarrant County District Court has temporarily halted further action on a proposed data center in Westlake, Texas, by issuing a temporary restraining order on August 17. This order came in response to an application filed by the Lakes at Marshall Ridge Homeowners Association, aimed at preventing the Town of Westlake from approving a development agreement for the Circle T Data Center, which would have allowed immediate site work and construction. The Westlake town council subsequently voted to table the agreement during a special meeting.
The proposed 1.1 million-square-foot data center, advanced by Ross Perot Jr.'s company Hillwood, was initially announced by the Town of Westlake as a significant investment. However, it has drawn considerable opposition from Keller residents living near the project site and the City of Keller. The Keller City Council passed a resolution opposing the development, citing potential adverse impacts on its residents and requesting protections such as noise studies and energy usage documentation from Westlake.
Adding to the local dispute, the project has garnered attention statewide amidst broader discussions on data center development. Governor Greg Abbott has called for a halt to data center construction in rural areas and issued directives for data centers to reduce costs for residential electricity customers and conserve water. Democratic gubernatorial candidate state Rep. Gina Hinojosa has also challenged Abbott, advocating for a moratorium on new data center approvals until a special legislative session addresses the issue.