Fort Worth city officials are moving to establish specific zoning regulations for data centers, responding to feedback from residents regarding neighborhood impacts. The city currently lacks dedicated rules for these facilities, relying instead on general industrial development standards.
A zoning commission meeting held Wednesday marked a significant step in drafting these new guidelines. The city already operates four data centers, with five additional facilities either planned or under construction. Over the last five years, these facilities have contributed more than $83 million in property taxes to the city. City records indicate that complaints regarding these sites have been minimal during that period.
Despite the tax revenue, community members expressed concerns at the Wednesday meeting about how data centers affect their daily lives. Specific worries included noise and light pollution. In response to this feedback, city staff have prepared a list of recommendations for the zoning commission.
Proposed measures include requiring buildings to be set back 250 feet from residential zones. Standby generators would need to be located at least 350 feet from homes and fully screened. Rooftop cooling equipment must be placed behind an acoustic barrier that is 1.5 times the height of the equipment itself. Additionally, a 50-foot landscape buffering yard with a screening fence would be required along all residential borders.
The city is also proposing a zoning agreement that would ban cryptocurrency mining as a primary use for these facilities. However, officials noted that the city does not have the authority to regulate energy consumption, water planning, air quality control, or state tax exemptions and incentives. Those matters fall under state jurisdiction.
