Waco council approves municipal-setting designation, fire-code electronic filing and land-use changes; residents press 911 delays and data center concerns

WACO — The Waco City Council on Feb. 3 approved a package of land-use and administrative ordinances and heard public comments urging fixes to the city’s 911 response process and regional coordination on a proposed data center.

Council voted to advance and approve several items, including ordinance 2026-078 (first reading) to pursue a municipal-setting designation for about 7.178 acres described as Lot 2, Block 1 of the Hillcrest Baptist Center addition, ordinance 2026-079 (second reading) to require that fire protection system inspection, testing and maintenance documentation for commercial occupancies be submitted electronically through an approved third-party vendor, an abandonment of roughly 0.082 acres of alley (ordinance 2026-018), an amendment to the Cowen Village PUD allowing multifamily/commercial-flex uses on portions of a 10.54-acre tract (ordinance 2026-081), and a rezoning of 0.242 acres at 2120 Washington Avenue (ordinance 2026-082).

Why it matters: The municipal-setting designation (MSD) process authorizes the city to request certification under the Texas Health and Safety Code and to seek designation from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; council members said the step is intended to preserve community benefit on the Hillcrest property and to enable review and potential municipal ownership. The fire-code amendment centralizes submission of commercial fire-system records through an approved electronic vendor, which proponents said will standardize recordkeeping and enforcement.

Public comments: Three residents addressed the council during the hearing-of-visitors segment. Tiffany Owens recounted a near-collision and said she waited roughly five minutes for an answer after calling 911; she told the council, “911 needs to be answered immediately,” and asked staff to investigate and rectify the process. Sean Terrell, speaking as a member of a local data center action committee, warned that a planned Lacey Lakeview/Imprequi data center proposed just north of Waco in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction could have outsized local impacts. Terrell characterized the project as “a $10,000,000,000 facility,” said developers had discussed a 1.2-gigawatt on-site power build and daily water use he cited as “16,000,000 gallons daily,” and warned of long-term commitments including a proposed 50-year utility franchise; he urged Waco to seek a regional conversation and to be “at the table.” Randy Gober offered public praise for city staff and public-safety leaders for responsiveness to residents.

Council discussion and votes: Council members who spoke expressed support for preserving the Hillcrest site’s role in the community and for proceeding with MSD application and related actions. The ordinances and resolutions presented on the agenda were moved, seconded and polled; the council recorded affirmative votes on the items presented during the meeting.

What happens next: The MSD measure (ordinance 2026-078) was presented on first reading and proceeds through the normal ordinance process; the fire-code change was adopted on second reading. The record shows the council polled and recorded affirmative votes on the listed items; staff will carry out the procedural steps authorized by the ordinances, including submitting required applications and executing related documents.

Votes at a glance: The meeting record shows motions moved and seconded for the consent agenda and each individual item on second reading or first reading as noted; council polled affirmatively on the items listed in the agenda during the meeting record.