League City now requires developers to secure special use permit for data centers
League City City Council unanimously amended the city’s unified development code to require a council-approved special use permit for any new data center. The change gives the city case-by-case public review authority, while one council member sought clearer rules addressing issues such as water use and noise.
League City City Council amended the city’s unified development code to classify data centers as a use requiring a special use permit. The council approved the change at its Oct. 27 meeting, including the ordinance’s first and final reading, after the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended it.
Mayor Nick Long said the amendment was prompted by concerns that data centers could previously be built by right in some areas. Council member Tom Crews opposed the final vote and argued for more specific standards covering impacts such as water consumption and noise, but the measure passed 7-1. The article also notes broader scrutiny of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality over its handling of environmental permit applications for data center projects.