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Hildebran council fields resident concerns about possible data center; members cite state law limits
Summary
Residents asked about a proposed data center near Cline Park; Council Member Ben Honeycutt said state law (SB 382) limits the town's ability to ban such projects, but the town has adopted an ordinance intended to discourage the company and residents were urged to contact representatives.
Council Member Ben Honeycutt addressed residents March 23 about recent newspaper and social media reports that a data center might come to Hildebran. Honeycutt said the town’s options are constrained by recent state legislation: "due to the downzoning legislation passed by the NC General Assembly in December 2024 (SB 382), the Town is unable to ban the plan," he said, and added that the Town had passed an ordinance intended to discourage the company.
Honeycutt encouraged residents to contact their representatives, listing "Huge Blackwell" as one name residents could write. Members of the public asked follow-up questions about the project timeline, the company's identity and how to organize petitions against the proposal; council members allowed those brief questions and recorded the concerns for follow-up.
Town staff did not provide a named company or timeline at the meeting and no formal land-use application or vote occurred during this session. Council’s comments were informational and aimed at advising residents about the limits of local authority under the cited legislation and steps residents could take to raise concerns with state and local representatives.
