Hill Country town moves to keep data centers away from homes
The City of Boerne, Texas, has voted to implement new regulations for data center development, including a 1,000-foot buffer from residential areas. Future data centers will be limited to intense industrial zoning districts and require a special use permit. These measures are intended to address environmental concerns, particularly regarding local water supply in the drought-prone Hill Country.
The City of Boerne in Texas has enacted significant amendments to its Unified Development Code, introducing new restrictions on data center construction. On Monday, September 14, the city council voted to establish a mandatory 1,000-foot buffer between any future data center developments and residential areas. Additionally, all new data centers will be confined to the city's "most intense" industrial zoning districts and will necessitate a special use permit (SUP) approved by the city.
This move follows a unanimous recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission earlier on September 14. The new regulations are a response to growing controversy surrounding the multibillion-dollar data center industry, particularly concerns raised by critics about environmental impacts, such as strain on local water supplies in the drought-affected Hill Country region. Boerne's actions signify its intent to establish municipal oversight and "guardrails" for technology development before any data centers are built within city limits.