Although there aren't any plans or proposals to bring a data center to Bedford, city officials are considering down-the-line possibilities while drafting restrictions.
At their August 11 council meeting, city staff and elected representatives explained that these types of projects aren't anticipated to arrive in Bedford anytime soon, given the lack of available land and zoning permissions.
Mayor Dan Cogan said residents are concerned about data centers, especially with other projects popping up in nearby cities like Westlake.
"We want to make sure that we have safeguards in place and regulations to protect the residents," Cogan said.
But he cautioned against denying the possibility of data centers altogether.
“When it comes to usage of certain things, as a city, you don't want to outright ban things. It sets you up for litigation in the future,” Cogan said. “Instead, you regulate them.”
New restrictions on data centers come as Bedford updates its zoning ordinance, which defines land use across the city. Those updates are part of a multi-year modernization process that's now coming to a close.
City Manager Andrea Roy told KERA that while the current zoning ordinance doesn't define data centers in any way, the in-progress draft does.
"The whole purpose of redoing the zoning ordinance is to grab the newer uses and things like that, that weren't envisioned when we wrote this 30 years ago," Roy said. "Data centers, crypto mining ... those newer terms and uses are now incorporated into our draft zoning ordinance."
The updated zoning ordinance is expected to confine data centers to Bedford's industrial zoned areas, which Roy described as "extraordinarily limited" at about four acres. She noted that Bedford is 98% built out, meaning the majority of land in the city is already in use.
"When you think about a data center going on 100 acres, we're not lining up," Roy said. "But nevertheless, we need to plan for it."
The city is moving to establish a process for a special use permit, or SUP, that would allow certain projects to take shape on a case-by-case basis.
Roy said the SUP process involves a public notice and hearing, with a comment period.
"It just gives us another layer of control and reassurance that, if I need to increase the setback here for one reason, I can do that with that SUP instead of just saying, here are the rules, you can build by right, go for it," she explained.
Roy said the zoning ordinance will likely make its way to the Planning and Zoning Commission in the fall, and to the city council in the winter.
Bedford's moves come amid a nationwide push to build more data centers, specifically in rural areas, according to the Pew Research Center.
The data center boom, particularly when it comes to massive, "hyperscale" data centers, is being driven by an increased demand in processing power for artificial intelligence products.
Cities across the Metroplex are approving or restricting data centers amid a rapid uptick in new projects around the country.
Got a tip? Email Andy Lusk at alusk@kera.org.
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