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Residents raise transparency and environmental concerns as San Angelo weighs large data center
Summary
Two residents told the San Angelo Development Corporation they want clearer public disclosure about a proposed 345‑acre rezoning and possible data‑center developer, warning of energy, water and property‑value impacts and urging the board to include citizens in negotiations.
Two registered residents urged the San Angelo Development Corporation on Dec. 10 to be transparent about discussions related to a proposed large data center and to share more detail with the community.
China Young, a resident of Single‑Member District 4, told the board she and other residents had learned the city recently approved rezoning roughly 345 acres from ranch and estate to light manufacturing and said planning staff (she cited Planning & Development Services director Aaron Benoit) had indicated the rezoning was connected to a potential data‑center project. Young said it was unclear how advanced conversations with a company she identified as Westwood were and asked the board to make any negotiations, job projections and environmental impacts public. “It is essential that the citizens of San Angelo are a part of the conversation,” Young said.
Heather Wiley, a resident of District 3, said she opposes a data center in San Angelo and described several community risks she wanted the board to consider: higher electricity demand and costs, reduced power quality near large centers, noise and air pollution if generators are used, and water consumption in San Angelo’s drought‑prone region. Wiley also referenced reports she said linked a data center’s recycled water use to health outcomes in another community and warned the city to reject the project if those risks could not be managed.
Board members and staff framed the immediate issue as one of process: several members emphasized that the city and planning bodies had been discussing rezoning and that public hearings and staff presentations would inform any future approvals. Chair and staff reiterated that at this point the Development Corporation was not voting to approve a specific project and that public comment would be shared with the bodies handling zoning and development approvals.
The board did not take action on a data center at the meeting. Members asked staff to continue to share public input with planning and council partners and to provide clarity to the community as further steps are considered. The Development Corporation’s next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 14 at 8:30 a.m.
