McLennan County denies petition to create agricultural development district
McLennan County commissioners denied a petition to create an agricultural development district aimed at preventing data centers on farmland. Commissioners cited a lack of zoning authority and the petition's lack of clarity as reasons for the denial. The Texas Coalition Against Data Centers, which submitted the petition, plans to revise and resubmit it.
The McLennan County Commissioners Court recently denied a petition from the Texas Coalition Against Data Centers, which sought to establish the state's first agricultural development district. Led by founder TA Smith, the coalition's objective was to create specific agricultural zoning to protect farmland and critical water resources from being converted into data center sites.
During a public hearing in Waco, community members voiced their support, urging commissioners to approve the measure to safeguard rural areas. However, County Attorney Michael Dixon advised the court that it lacked the authority to create such a zoning district, and commissioners ultimately voted against the petition. They also noted the petition's insufficient clarity and specificity.
Despite expressing sympathy for the community's concerns, commissioners stated they could not act without explicit authority granted by the state legislature. Some community members disagreed with this conclusion. Smith indicated that the Texas Coalition Against Data Centers is not giving up and plans to make revisions to the petition before resubmitting it.