Taylor council approves employment‑center plan for Blueprint data center after extended public comment

Taylor City Council voted unanimously to approve an employment‑center plan for Blueprint Data Centers at 1601 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, adopting Ordinance 2025‑17 after a staff presentation and an extended public comment period.

City planning staffer Pearson presented the application, noting the parcel has been zoned for industrial uses in city plans dating to 1996 and was recodified as an "employment center" under the city’s 2021 comprehensive plan and the 2023 land development code. Pearson said the developer provided an environmental assessment and engineering report addressing questions about noise, water and fire risk. "All of the equipment will be contained in a building envelope, so noise pollution will be mitigated," Pearson said, and she added the engineering firm understood the site would connect to the electric grid and use backup diesel generators only for emergencies.

The item drew a lengthy public comment period of 17 speakers. Residents near the planned site said the property is too close to long‑standing South Taylor neighborhoods and asked the council to pause approvals until independent studies and more community outreach occur. "Prolonged exposure to these low frequency hums and noise will lead to stress, anxiety, and heart disease," resident Jose Orda said, urging the council to halt the project. Lisa Drummond, who said she lives on Hossack Street, called the engineering report vague and asked who authorized and paid for the assessment. "Why would the city use taxpayer money to pay for an environmental study for a private developer?" she asked.

Other speakers raised equity concerns, saying…