Fort Worth and Tarrant County residents gathered at City Hall on June 30 to review proposed regulations for data center development. The open house featured representatives from multiple city departments, the Texas Public Utility Commission, and the Tarrant Regional Water District answering questions about rules governing water consumption, pollution, and economic incentives. This event followed a June 2 presentation to the City Council outlining the initial proposals.
Approximately 300 people attended the lobby event. While some attendees found the information useful, others questioned whether the proposed rules would effectively address community concerns. Alexander Montalvo, a Fort Worth activist, described the proposals as half-measures that fail to resolve issues regarding water usage, electricity demand, zoning, and noise. He argued that the city is prioritizing corporate interests over resident needs and called for a moratorium on new data centers.
Helen Ratliff, an Arlington resident and nurse, said the event raised more questions than answers. She expressed concern about who would pay for infrastructure upgrades and the potential health impacts on children. Ratliff noted that her daughter is considering moving away from Crowley to avoid data center development in the area. Wedgewood resident Will Wells also voiced doubts about enforcement, pointing out that the proposed noise limit allows data centers to operate at levels five decibels above existing background noise. He suggested that current fines for noise violations are too low to deter large corporations.
Assistant City Manager Jessica McEachern stated that the regulations are not yet finalized and that feedback from the open house, along with written and online surveys, will guide the final rules. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the regulations at its August 11 meeting. The Fort Worth zoning commission will review land use rules at its July 8 meeting at 1 p.m.
