Council approves zoning for data‑center campus near Weston Gardens after months of outreach and heated public opposition

Fort Worth City Council voted to approve a series of zoning changes that allow expansion of a data‑center campus in southeast Fort Worth, including zoning case ZC25‑131, after public testimony that included concerns about noise, water use, lighting, and threats to nearby Weston Gardens.

The application for ZC25‑131 covers about 119.06 acres and mirrors the conditions approved on a related PD (planned development) the council approved in June. Developer representatives said the project is part of a contiguous campus that would bring new fiber and power infrastructure, “thousands of jobs” during construction and hundreds of long‑term high‑skill positions.

Opposition and core concerns: Dozens of residents, Weston Gardens staff and environmental advocates urged the council to deny the rezoning or impose stronger conditions. Jackson Weston, whose family operates Weston Gardens, said the nursery and historic demonstration gardens host weddings, community events and educational programming and are “a special place” that would be harmed by noise, lights and the heat a data center can generate. Weston Gardens staff noted they had collected more than 1,200 petition signatures opposing the rezoning.

Multiple speakers cited environmental and infrastructure concerns. Aditya Panigat, a researcher who said he had consulted communities that had hosted data centers, urged postponement until independent experts could assess the project’s water and electric impacts. Barbara Crotty of the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club cited a report that large data centers can use “up to 5,000,000 gallons of water per day” and warned of health and wildlife impacts from noise and lights. Speakers from Granbury and Hood County described long‑running noise problems near existing large server farms.

Developer and staff response: Bob Riley, representing the applicant, said the campus will add new fiber, power and roads and estimated “a full build out over $10,000,000,000 of investment.” He said the project includes a 75‑foot setback from any residential property and that the site is separated from Weston Gardens by a natural floodplain buffer that is heavily wooded.

City staff and the developer confirmed the project would hook into city water and that, before construction, staff would require engineering studies and any necessary utility upgrades to ensure adequate service. Senior staff member Chris Horner told council: “We would require that the developer upgrade the infrastructure so that the system could supply the demand to that customer” if the existing system cannot meet peak demands.

Council debate and direction: Councilman Chris Nettles moved to approve ZC25‑131 with a site‑plan waiver; Councilman Michael Crane seconded the motion. Several council members acknowledged the public’s concerns and asked staff for follow‑up. Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck and Councilwoman Jeanette Martinez asked staff to prepare a broader study of data‑center siting, including resource impacts and ordinance options; several other members supported returning the issue to a work session for additional study of water, noise and lighting standards.

Outcome: The motion to approve ZC25‑131 (contiguous to the campus previously approved in June) passed. Related, contiguous zoning cases that filled in the campus footprint (including ZC25‑132 and other nearby PD fill‑in cases) were also approved during the meeting; each item was moved and seconded and carried on council votes recorded in the meeting minutes.

Why this matters: Data centers are resource‑intensive facilities that can demand large amounts of electricity and, depending on cooling technology, water. Residents and local advocates argued the city should adopt stricter siting rules and require independent environmental review before permitting additional large campuses in proximity to homes, historic sites and natural areas.

Next steps and follow up: Councilmembers asked staff to return with analyses of water and energy impacts and possible ordinance changes; some members suggested the council consider targeted standards — for setbacks, lighting, decibel limits and water usage reporting — to reduce impacts on neighbors and sensitive sites such as Weston Gardens.

Actions at the meeting: Council approved ZC25‑131 (motion by Councilman Chris Nettles; second by Councilman Michael Crane) and approved additional contiguous rezoning items that complete the campus footprint (motions and seconds not always individually specified in the public transcript). Staff recommended approval and the Zoning Commission had unanimously recommended approval for the primary zoning case.

Public record: The meeting record contains statements from Weston Gardens staff that the business hosts community events and that the property is used for weddings and education, as well as written and oral petitions from residents. The council’s approval was accompanied by repeated requests to staff to study data‑center impacts and to return with suggested code changes or conditions to better protect neighbors.