TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — Temple City Council chambers drew a crowd of residents with divided opinions this week as the city weighs annexing land and granting a tax break for Project Lasso, Rowan Digital Infrastructure's last planned data center for the area.
With several data center developments already underway in Temple, neighbors are raising concerns about whether the city has been transparent about the local impact of the projects.
Sarah Royer, founder of Temple Stands Together, pointed to tax abatements already granted to existing developers.
"You granted Rowan 50% tax abatement and Meta a 75% tax abatement ensuring our largest income and industrial taxpayers pay a fraction of their share while we have to service the $118 million debt for their infrastructure," Royer said.
Mayor Tim Davis pushed back on criticism of the city's approach, arguing the developments represent a significant economic opportunity.
"Conversations and complaints about the tax rate being too high, about you being in debt, about all of these things that we normally complain about. And then some people turn, around and complain about an opportunity to knock a home run when it comes to fortifying our tax base," Davis said.
Davis also defended the council's process.
"We've been doing this for two years. We know the answers. This isn't new. There, there's nothing new here. This council has been working through this process," Davis said. "We've been working through this process sometimes with Rowan, sometimes, most of the time without Rowan."
The city is considering stricter regulations for data centers, including separating small and large-scale developments and adding a 200-foot buffer between data centers and residences. Under the proposed rules, Rowan would be required to conduct noise, road, and environmental impact studies and fix any problems that occur.
Residents say the proposed protections do not go far enough. One neighbor raised concerns about the 200-foot buffer requirement.
"200 ft is not, not a sufficient protection area for just about anything. You would not want residences. You wouldn't want to live there that close. That's less than a football field," the neighbor said.
Worker safety also emerged as a concern at the meeting.
"Safety is huge on those jobs, on all data center jobs, so that we still have a whole group of of people that are trying to keep the working men and women of this community and every other community safe," the neighbor said.
Nathaniel Brown with Rowan said the developer is committed to complying with any rules set by the city and state.
"We want to be in Temple. We're going to play by Temple's rules, and we have from the beginning. So, you know, everywhere, you know, from Governor Abbott down to the city council, we are seeing this industry come under a microscope as it should be, and that's where we thrive," Brown said.
The second hearing for the data center items will be on September 17.
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