Zoning for digital development gets first reading
Taylor City Council held a first reading on proposed land-development code amendments governing digital infrastructure, including data centers, power plants and bitcoin mining. The amendments remain pending, while opponents of the Taylor Technology Center have challenged the city’s handling of a petition and are seeking additional research before the rules are finalized.
The Taylor City Council held a public hearing and first reading on Phase 1B amendments to the city’s comprehensive plan and land-development code. The proposed guidelines would regulate digital infrastructure such as data centers, power plants and bitcoin-mining operations, but no action was taken and council approval remains pending. The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended most of the amendments for approval.
Resident Carrie D’Anna and the HALT Taylor Data Centers coalition criticized the timing and substance of the proposed rules, arguing that the city should conduct more research on existing data centers. The coalition submitted a petition with about 1,400 signatures seeking specific data center guidelines or a public vote, but the city declined to adopt the request or send it to voters. The group filed legal action, but an appellate court recently denied its writ.