Red Oak residents push back against rezoning, data center

Residents in Red Oak, Texas, are actively opposing a proposed zoning change that would designate 830 acres along FM 2377 from an Agricultural District to a "Planned Development" for a "high tech industrial park," paving the way for a new data center. During a Red Oak City Council meeting, chambers were filled with residents who protested and provided sharp criticism during public comment, expressing concerns about living next to such facilities and the long-term effects. City Manager Todd Fuller presented arguments for the data center, highlighting potential economic benefits such as increased tax revenue and better-funded city services without raising resident taxes. This local pushback comes amid a broader trend in North Texas, where rural counties are advocating for more regulation regarding data center development, with Somervell County recently asking the state to pause new project applications due to a significant increase in planned data centers statewide. The public comment period in Red Oak extended late into the night, and a decision on the rezoning is pending.