Fort Worth delays vote on $1.1 billion data center abatement after residents raise noise, water and notice concerns

Council members put off a decision on a proposed tax abatement for a $1.1 billion Edge Data Centers project on PMBB Capital land after dozens of residents warned of possible long-term impacts on nearby neighborhoods.

Council Member Crane presented a motion that would have conditioned the abatement on several commitments from the developer, including compliance with the city's noise ordinance, limits on domestic water demand tied to a Kimley‑Horn water study, annual compliance reporting, lighting and screening requirements, and a publicly accessible project website. Crane spoke before public comment to summarize the proposed safeguards and to invite community input.

Residents from several nearby neighborhoods told the council they had not received timely notice of earlier zoning approvals and said the city’s 300‑foot notification radius had failed to alert many affected homeowners. “The zoning sign was not posted until the day after the zoning hearing,” said Judy Williams, a 43‑year Fort Worth resident, who described notification failures and urged the council to require broader resident notice for developments of this scale. Peter Irvin, a District 6 resident, urged the council to create independent verification and ongoing monitoring for noise, water and air, noting that current EDA reporting is largely self‑reported by developers.

Speakers at the public hearing pressed the council on several technical and community impacts: noise (including concern over low‑frequency or infrasound), continuous 24/7 operations and generator testing, potential effects on nearby horse farms and wildlife, long‑term effects on property values, water and electric grid demands, and the adequacy of enforcement and inspection capacity. “Data centers are the oil and gas of this decade,” one resident said, arguing the city needs a dedicated oversight function similar to past gas‑drilling regulations.

Representatives of PMBB Capital and Edge Data Centers described the planned project as a closed‑loop, waterless design that will rely on air‑cooled systems rather than evaporative cooling towers. Taylor Beard of PMBB said the project aligns with the city's adopted industrial growth center and noted that Edge has made commitments to plant trees and limit water use. Bill Greenwood of Edge said generators run only for short monthly maintenance periods and that modeled decibel levels at nearby residences would meet city limits.

City staff summarized procedural safeguards: the project sits in an area the comprehensive plan designates for industrial growth; a URKT/Encore reliability study of the electrical service has been completed; and the proposed abatement applies only to business personal property, not real property, with annual reporting and the city's ability to audit compliance.

After extended testimony and council questions, Council Member Crane withdrew his motion and moved to table the abatement to give staff and council time for further review and for additional community engagement. The council approved tabling the item, with staff and council indicating a return to the dais on May 12 for further consideration. For now, zoning already in place means the developer could proceed without the abatement, but the abatement discussion and the attached commitments will return for further council action.