Lawsuit delays Westlake vote over data center
A Tarrant County judge issued a temporary restraining order, delaying a Westlake City Council vote on a development agreement for the proposed Circle T data center. Keller residents filed a lawsuit, arguing that Westlake did not adequately inform neighbors about the project. Concerns include noise, water, power, and the project's proximity to homes, pushing the decision to the courts.
A Tarrant County judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), effectively blocking the Town of Westlake from proceeding with a planned vote on a development agreement for the Circle T data center project. This legal action, which came minutes before a special Westlake Town Council meeting, forced the council to table the vote until after August 26th.
The TRO was initiated by a lawsuit filed by residents of Keller, particularly those in the Marshall Ridge neighborhood, who live near the proposed data center site on the Westlake-Keller border. Their attorney, Jason Freriedman, alleges that Westlake made a "wholesale change" to the property's use without sufficient public notice, implying the process was secretive to prevent opposition. Residents voiced concerns about potential noise, water and power consumption, and the proximity of the project to their homes, with many feeling "blindsided" by its progression.
Westlake officials, however, defended their actions, with the mayor stating that Westlake and Keller leadership met about the project in December 2024 (likely a transcription error for 2023 or an earlier date). The mayor also pointed out that Keller allowed residential homes to be built adjacent to land Westlake had designated for commercial and industrial use almost 30 years ago, without consultation or a buffer zone. The City of Keller responded, stating it had made "very reasonable requests" in its resolution opposing Westlake's data center but received "no meaningful response." The legal challenges will now shift the matter from council chambers to the courts.