Five Fort Worth council members will propose a moratorium on data centers coming to town.
Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores and council members Elizabeth Beck, Mia Hall, Jeanette Martinez and Chris Nettles issued a joint news release July 9 stating they plan to propose the motion at the Aug. 11 meeting.
Mayor Mattie Parker and council members Michael Crain, Chris Jamieson, Macy Hill and Charlie Lauersdorf were not listed on the letter. According to a representative with Jamieson's office, the five were not asked to sign the letter.
What’s happening?
A public meeting was held June 30, and the Fort Worth Zoning Commission voted July 8 to deny a proposed ordinance that would restrict where data centers could be located in Fort Worth.
"Following the public meeting on June 30 and the Zoning Commission's consideration on July 8, it's become clear to not only us, but also residents, stakeholders and commissioners, that there are important issues that warrant additional discussion and refinement before these regulations should move forward," the release states. "We believe it is far more important to get these regulations right than rushed.”
Fort Worth City Council discussed the issue at the June 2 work session with data center development regulations. City officials said residents’ feedback focused on water use, zoning regulations, noise and economic development incentives, according to the city website.
“This is a really hot topic right now here in Fort Worth, here in the state of Texas, and really nationally, and rightfully so,” Assistant City Manager Jessica McEachern said at the June 2 meeting. “We're seeing a huge boom in interest in data center development.”
She said data centers are the "backbone" of everything most people use daily, from buying a ticket online to using GPS or streaming a video.
The conditions
Fort Worth staff recommended regulations rather than a moratorium, saying the latter would add delays and would pause new development.
According to the city website, a moratorium has a duration of 90 days and may be extended by another 90 days. The earliest day it would be effective is in mid-October.
McEachern said the city wants to be proactive instead of waiting for the state legislature to pass regulations.
The joint news release states those five council members will try to adopt regulations that balance economic opportunity with the protection of Fort Worth residents, neighborhoods, natural resources and critical infrastructure.
“By taking the time to get this right, we will protect our residents, preserve the character of our neighborhoods and provide the certainty needed for responsible growth,” the letter states.
Data centers currently follow industrial development standards in Fort Worth, according to the city website.
The proposed zoning changes by city staff include:
- Prohibition of cryptocurrency mining
- Building setback of 250 feet from residential district
- Parking and driveways allowed within supplemental building setback
- Standby generator not within 300 feet of residential and fully screened
- Rooftop cooling equipment behind acoustic barrier that is 1.5 times the height
- Extended outdoor lighting regulations to residential use in addition to district
- Landscape buffer of 50 feet and screening fence along residential district
- A continuous row of evergreen trees at site perimeter of adjoining residential district
In addition, city staff proposed economic development policy changes, such as a $500 million minimum initial investment and an identified end user, a limit of grants and abatements to no more than 50% of sales tax revenue and a requirement for minimum business personal property value through the life of the agreement.
Other changes include a substantial progress through the ERCOT interconnection process, and demonstration of multiple viable sites under consideration and significant local value in site consideration, such as annexation.
Current situation
McEachern said there are currently four data centers in Fort Worth. Another is under construction in council District 7, and there are four proposed data centers in Districts 3, 6, 7 and 8.
“These are all ones that have their zoning in place,” she said. “They are working with ERCOT and are anticipated to be approved for interconnection into the grid. They're working with Encor and are getting their approvals to either construct or to tap into existing substations. So when I say proposed, I think reasonably anticipated to move forward.”
McEachern also said there are two proposed data centers in Fort Worth’s extraterritorial jurisdiction—not in the city limits but part of land that is serviced by Fort Worth public services such as water and sewer. She said development outside of the city means the loss of city oversight and revenue.
Of the four existing data centers in Fort Worth, three are in council District 10—represented by Jamieson in north Fort Worth.
The first data center in the city was opened in 2000 in District 5. The others were constructed in District 10 in 2003, 2008 and 2015. McEachern said one of those expanded in 2025.
The largest data center in the city is 1.5 million square feet, while the smallest is 209,000 square feet, according to the June 2 presentation.
McEachern said in the past five years, the city's gross property tax revenue on data centers has been $83.01 million.
