The City of Keller says it has reached an agreement with Westlake and Circle T Owner LP to settle a lawsuit over a proposed data center on the Keller-Westlake border. Keller says the agreement will let the city enforce noise limits and will require quarterly noise monitoring for the first three years of the data center's operations.
The agreement also includes landscaping requirements, emissions controls and a contribution to Keller Fire-Rescue, the city said. The proposed facility would be 1.1 million square feet in Westlake, near Keller's Marshall Ridge neighborhood. Keller residents said they did not receive proper notice about the project. They have also raised concerns about environmental effects, health, quality of life and property values.
Keller had filed for a temporary injunction to halt further development. That injunction expired in late September. Data centers were also a major political topic in the midterm elections. Gov. Greg Abbott has pushed to slow development by requiring resource audits before new permits are issued. Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa has called for an immediate moratorium on data centers until the Texas Legislature can meet. Keller says it will work with Hinojosa on statewide discussions about data center regulation.