The Taylor City Council has voted unanimously to approve an agreement with Big Watt Digital and PowerHouse Data Centers to annex their planned 664-acre development, Taylor Technology Campus, located just outside city limits.
The approval came over the objections of many residents in attendance at Thursday's council meeting.
Council members and city staff said that the agreement will allow Taylor to better manage the effects of the project, which includes data center facilities and an on-site power plant, by imposing regulations on things such as water use, noise and air quality. Without the agreement, they said, the city would have no authority over the project, which currently sits in an unincorporated part of Williamson County.
"Big Watt + PowerHouse is pleased with the positive vote to advance the Taylor Technology Campus in the city of Taylor," the companies said in a statement after the meeting. "We also understand that being a responsible developer includes being a good neighbor and community partner. The Taylor Technology campus is designed to expand Taylor's tax base, support workforce opportunity, and fund visible quality-of-life improvements."
As part of the agreement, Big Watt and PowerHouse said they will also provide an estimated $28.2 million in community investments. That includes more than $10 million for Taylor ISD and local students.
"When we were approached with this proposal, we carefully evaluated its potential impact and considered it through one very important lens: Will it benefit our students?" Taylor ISD Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen told council members. "We believe this agreement clearly meets that standard, and if the project moves forward, it will provide meaningful, lasting benefits for our students."
Many others, however, urged council members to vote against the deal or, at the very least, postpone and try and renegotiate parts of it.
"The new name is all warm and fuzzy, but it seems like you should have kept the Project Mustang name, given the pace at which this is being pushed through," Taylor resident Scott Gibbs said. "We're all wondering why these projects are galloping full speed ahead here in Taylor, when other cities, counties, and politicians from all parties are saying, 'Whoa, let's slow this horse down. Let's take the time to think about this.'"
Gibbs and others criticized city staff and council members for negotiating the agreement behind closed doors without more public input from residents and Taylor's planning and zoning commission.
That commission briefly considered an annexation and zoning application from the developers of the project during a meeting in August before deciding to delay the discussion for 90 days. After listening to community feedback, members of the commission decided they wanted to gather more information and consider adopting regulations on data centers before moving forward.
Big Watt and PowerHouse withdrew their annexation and zoning application just over two weeks later.
"Why can't you wait for the process to run its course and listen to the people?" Gibbs said. "Wait for the state Legislature to do the research and create legislation that will protect Texans. In the meantime, hold neighborhood meetings to explain the risk to the public if we start building gas power plants. There's absolutely no need to rush this."
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