Data center developments raise important questions about water, noise, traffic, infrastructure and impacts on our community.
It is also important to understand what the City can control and what it can’t.
Texas cities operate within authority established by state law. The City of Temple does not control ERCOT or statewide electric policy, Oncor's infrastructure planning, state tax exemptions and incentives, Texas' private-property rights, or development that may occur elsewhere in the region.
Why Annexation Matters
When a development occurs outside of Temple's city limits, the City’s zoning, building permits and development standards do not apply, which means development could proceed with significantly fewer local controls. When property is annexed into the city limits, the City can apply its zoning and development standards and require utility agreements and other enforceable controls. Annexation gives Temple more control over how projects develop, not less. When properties come into our City limits we can use the local tools we have available to mitigate impacts, regulate development, and establish enforceable requirements.
Those protections include:
💧 Water protections and enforcement – Data centers accessing City water and wastewater services are required to enter into utility agreements to establish water-use limits, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms. All data centers currently under development or consideration are required to use a closed-loop, dry-cooling system. This means the cooling systems are designed to use an initial volume of water that is continuously recycled on-site and designed to prevent evaporation, rather than relying on frequent recharge water for cooling. These utility agreements can also establish contractual limits on water use based on the specific project and phase of development, monitor water usage through advanced metering and enforce limits when necessary. Enforcement tools can include mechanically limiting devices to restrict water use if limits are exceeded.
🔊 Noise protections – Zoning conditions can impose noise standards and require professional noise studies and mitigation measures. A Noise Mitigation Plan prepared by an acoustical engineer is required before building permits, and testing must confirm compliance before occupancy. The City can require corrective measures, issue citations, and take further action if necessary if the noise standards are not met.
🚗 Traffic and road protections – Developers are required to study the impacts of construction and operations on surrounding roads. If impacts or deficiencies are identified, necessary transportation improvements are required, and must be developer-funded, not taxpayer-funded.
🏗️ Development and environmental standards – The City can regulate and mitigate impacts through zoning and development standards, including requiring specific building setbacks, buffering, landscaping, screening, drainage, building codes, stormwater and erosion controls, and other site requirements.
As data center proposals move through the approval process, we'll continue sharing information. You can also visit the Data Center Information Hub at templetx.gov/datacenters to learn more.
It is also important to understand what the City can control and what it can’t.
Texas cities operate within authority established by state law. The City of Temple does not control ERCOT or statewide electric policy, Oncor's infrastructure planning, state tax exemptions and incentives, Texas' private-property rights, or development that may occur elsewhere in the region.
Why Annexation Matters
When a development occurs outside of Temple's city limits, the City’s zoning, building permits and development standards do not apply, which means development could proceed with significantly fewer local controls. When property is annexed into the city limits, the City can apply its zoning and development standards and require utility agreements and other enforceable controls. Annexation gives Temple more control over how projects develop, not less. When properties come into our City limits we can use the local tools we have available to mitigate impacts, regulate development, and establish enforceable requirements.
Those protections include:
💧 Water protections and enforcement – Data centers accessing City water and wastewater services are required to enter into utility agreements to establish water-use limits, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms. All data centers currently under development or consideration are required to use a closed-loop, dry-cooling system. This means the cooling systems are designed to use an initial volume of water that is continuously recycled on-site and designed to prevent evaporation, rather than relying on frequent recharge water for cooling. These utility agreements can also establish contractual limits on water use based on the specific project and phase of development, monitor water usage through advanced metering and enforce limits when necessary. Enforcement tools can include mechanically limiting devices to restrict water use if limits are exceeded.
🔊 Noise protections – Zoning conditions can impose noise standards and require professional noise studies and mitigation measures. A Noise Mitigation Plan prepared by an acoustical engineer is required before building permits, and testing must confirm compliance before occupancy. The City can require corrective measures, issue citations, and take further action if necessary if the noise standards are not met.
🚗 Traffic and road protections – Developers are required to study the impacts of construction and operations on surrounding roads. If impacts or deficiencies are identified, necessary transportation improvements are required, and must be developer-funded, not taxpayer-funded.
🏗️ Development and environmental standards – The City can regulate and mitigate impacts through zoning and development standards, including requiring specific building setbacks, buffering, landscaping, screening, drainage, building codes, stormwater and erosion controls, and other site requirements.
As data center proposals move through the approval process, we'll continue sharing information. You can also visit the Data Center Information Hub at templetx.gov/datacenters to learn more.