Forney council tightens data-center rules, bars them from new planned developments

The Forney City Council on Tuesday approved an amendment to the city's comprehensive zoning ordinance that narrows where data centers may locate in the city.

City staff said the ordinance adds stricter standards, including a minimum 5,000-foot distance from any residential property and limiting data centers to the light-industrial zoning district as a conditional use rather than a permitted use. "It does set a distance requirement of a minimum 5,000 feet away from any residential properties where data center could locate," staff explained during the public hearing. The amendment also adds one sentence prohibiting data centers as an approved or conditional use within planned development overlay districts going forward.

A commissioner asked whether the ordinance would strip rights from an existing planned development that already allows a data center. The city attorney answered that the ordinance's repeal clause is prospective and not retroactive, and therefore does not affect previously vested rights or prior entitlements. The council opened and closed the public hearing and approved the ordinance by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The ordinance allows one existing planned development near the power plant that currently permits a data center to remain under its preexisting terms; new PD requests will not be able to list data center uses. Staff recommended approval and the council adopted the amendment.