Why this mayor doesn’t want data centers in his North Texas city
North Richland Hills Mayor Jack McCarty is concerned about a proposed 21-acre data center project by Provident due to potential noise and rising electricity costs, sentiments echoed by local residents who have submitted a petition with over 2,000 signatures in opposition. The city's Planning and Zoning Commission must hold a public hearing before the request is sent to the city council for a decision. Provident, the developer, claims the facility will use "zero water" and mitigate noise, while the city recently adopted new zoning regulations for data centers.
North Richland Hills Mayor Jack McCarty has voiced significant concerns regarding a proposed 21-acre data center development at 5201 Rufe Snow Drive by Dallas-based Provident. The mayor cited potential noise pollution and fears of rising electricity costs for residents as his primary objections, concerns echoed by local residents who attended a recent informational meeting and signed a Change.org petition garnering over 2,000 signatures in opposition. McCarty stated his belief that residents do not want the project near residential areas.
Jack Backes, executive director of Provident, addressed these concerns, stating that the facility would utilize "closed loop" cooling technology, resulting in zero water use. He also claimed that noise from the data center would be less than truck traffic and that the design would mitigate low-frequency noise. Backes committed to providing more information as the project progresses.
The site, formerly an outlet mall converted into a call center, requires city council approval to move forward. The North Richland Hills Planning and Zoning Commission must hold a public hearing before presenting the request to the city council. The city adopted specific zoning regulations for data centers last summer, and McCarty noted that no data centers have been approved since these new rules took effect.