Hood County approves Comanche Circle data center without conditions after contentious meeting
The Hood County Commissioners Court approved the concept plan for the Comanche Circle data center development by Sailfish Investors without conditions, despite strong opposition from residents. The contentious meeting included concerns over water usage, traffic, noise, and legal advice highlighting the pro-development nature of Texas law. Commissioners previously rejected a proposed moratorium on data center development.
The Hood County Commissioners Court voted 3-1 to approve the concept plan for the Comanche Circle data center, advanced by Florida-based Sailfish Investors, after a contentious meeting. Residents vocally opposed the 2,100-acre project, citing concerns about water consumption, wastewater treatment, traffic, property values, noise, and potential impacts on the county's rural character.
County Attorney Matt Mills and Commissioner Kevin Andrews referenced a recent lawsuit in Hill County, which led to that county rescinding its data center moratorium, to underscore the legal risks of blocking projects that comply with existing regulations. Sailfish founder Ryan Hughes, who was not present at the meeting due to safety concerns, had threatened legal action if the concept plan was not granted unconditional approval, asserting that his company had met all requirements.
Commissioners concluded that while resident concerns were valid, county regulations and state law did not provide sufficient grounds to deny the project at the concept plan stage. This decision allows Sailfish Investors to proceed to the site development plan process, where more detailed engineering and environmental reviews will be required. Earlier in February, commissioners had rejected a proposed moratorium on large-scale data center development and are awaiting an opinion from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding the county's authority to impose such restrictions.