HILLSBORO, Texas (KXXV) — The Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation held a meeting to provide updates on data centers.
- “A data center could come into a heavy industrial-zoned area…without an agreement because they do not need a specific use permit," said Jessica Trew.
- The next EDC meeting will be held sometime in August.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
This week, City of Hillsboro held meetings to talk about adding wording to add wording regarding data centers to existing City ordinances.
While a decision hasn't been made yet, Hillsboro Economic Development Director Jessica Trew said adding the verbiage provides additional protections before data centers can be built in the city.
“The Specific Use permit is looking to establish a definition such that a development agreement would be required for data centers, such that it would cater to what those restrictions, requirements, etc, need to be specific to the project," she said.
She explained that right now, a data center "could come into a heavy industrial zoned area without an agreement because they do not need a specific use permit. It does not mean that they cannot come, it just has not added that extra layer of protection yet."
But not everyone in the communit sees this as protection.
“That adding a data center was just a way in to open the flood gates for a data center," said Linda Pauley, the founder of Save Hill County.
“Because of the heavy industrial use that was in the previous provision, if a data center is not added, then it is prevented from coming into the area," said Pauley.
Moving forward, Pauley said data center meetings will remain on her agenda.
“It’s now to the point where we just feel like we cannot show up," she said.
