Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission to consider approving data center in south Killeen

The Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission will convene Monday to deliberate on a rezoning request concerning a 2-acre property located at 6509 S. Fort Hood Street. The proposal aims to modify the current university district zoning to a conditional use permit, facilitating the development of a data center in south Killeen. The request was officially submitted by Belton Engineering on behalf of 4 Lazy J Properties. Records from the Texas Comptroller website list 4 Lazy J Properties' mailing address at 714 N. 2nd St. in Killeen. Discussions regarding a potential data center at this site have been ongoing since at least March, according to a previous report by KDH News based on open records. Initial communications from December reveal inquiries from a Mr. Ahmed about establishing a battery storage facility and later a data center at the same location. Maria Lopez, senior planner for the city of Killeen, sought guidance from Wallis Meshier, executive director of Planning and Development, regarding appropriate zoning and permit requirements. Data centers are recognized by municipalities as drivers of economic growth and job creation, but they frequently spark controversy due to their substantial consumption of resources, particularly water. This is highlighted by the recent approval of data centers in nearby Temple, which has led to resident-led recall efforts against Temple City Council members.