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Residents press council on Lansing data center annexation — water use, noise and road impacts debated; annexation approved as part of consent package
Summary
Residents near a proposed Lansing data center told the Abilene City Council they fear effects on property values, water usage and street wear from heavy truck traffic; staff said the facility would use closed-loop water and that annexation is the first step before rezoning.
Residents near the proposed Lansing data-center site urged the Abilene City Council to address water usage, noise and road impacts associated with the project as the council considered annexing adjacent property.
A resident who identified themselves during public comment as living directly across the street from the property said neighbors are worried about property valuations, utility and water use and damage to nearby streets. The speaker noted an 11,000,000-gallon-per-year figure referenced for the project and said that nearby residents had begun a petition opposing the annexation.
City staff (Robert) answered in public comment that an 11,000,000-gallon annual water figure is within the range of standard industrial users in Abilene, and that the largest industrial user in the city uses about 18,000,000 gallons per year. Staff told the council Lansing intends to use a closed-loop water technology that minimizes ongoing fresh-water withdrawal and noted Lansing markets that reduced water intensity as part of its operations.
On power, staff said the site plan includes an on-site gas-fired power plant that would be used in limited circumstances when wind and solar resources are not available; the company intends to source most electricity from regional wind and solar generation. The city representative said noise from a gas-fired plant would be present but that the site’s buildings will be enclosed and the server operations differ from open “containerized” crypto-mining facilities.
Staff also explained that annexation would be the first procedural step; rezoning to allow the planned industrial use would follow only after the property is inside city limits. When asked who would maintain nearby streets, staff said the city typically assumes responsibility for roads adjacent to newly annexed property but can coordinate with the county during the construction phase and work with the developer to address damage caused by heavy trucks.
The annexation was part of the consent agenda the council approved in a single motion; the consent motion carried unanimously.
