Red Oak residents protesting proposed plan for 800-acre data center

Residents in Red Oak, Texas, are fiercely opposing a proposed 800-acre data center development, prompting a packed and passionate Red Oak City Council meeting where public comment continued late into the night. Citizens protested before the meeting, expressing strong sentiments against allowing another data center in their city. They are concerned about the project's impact on their community, citing potential health issues, property value drops, and the general disruption of their neighborhood. The proposed development, led by Compass, would necessitate rezoning over 800 acres from agricultural to industrial land. Red Oak already hosts five data centers, including an operational Google facility and others under development by Compass Datacenters, DataBank, Powerhouse, and Diode Investments. Residents' primary worries include increased water and electricity consumption, noise pollution, and the loss of natural land. Although the city manager presented a rebuttal, highlighting features like a closed-loop cooling system for reduced water usage, residents remained unconvinced, emphasizing a perceived lack of transparency regarding the proposal. As the Red Oak City Council prepares to vote on the rezoning, a similar situation is unfolding in Fort Worth, where the city council is scheduled to review site plans for another data center project. This Fort Worth project involves 187 acres, with the zoning commission having approved the site last month, but it also faces opposition from neighbors who raise environmental and noise concerns.