City Hall packed with many in opposition
The City Council Thursday cleared another hurdle for the creation of a controversial data center on the city’s southeast side despite a strong turnout at City Hall opposed to the project.
In a 5-0 vote, the council approved an Employment Center plan for the Blueprint Data Centers project at 1601 MLK Jr. Blvd.
“The decision was not about whether the data center could be constructed or not, it was simply about how the buildings and streets would be laid out,” said Daniel Seguin, a city spokesman, in a statement after the sometimes-contentious session.
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The benefits of progressing with this project are significant.”
— Tia Rae Stone, Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce The actual construction of the facility, which could generate up to $1 billion in costs, does not require council approval, officials have noted.
Blueprint purchased 52 acres for the center in April from the Taylor Economic Development Corp. for $10 million. The company is building a similar facility 20 miles away in Georgetown, but the local project is not far from Taylor’s Samsung Austin Semiconductor site.
More than 15 people spoke against the data center Thursday; a June 26 meeting included a public hearing about the proposal.
Wearing stickers that said, “No data center in our backyard,” more than 60 Taylor community members filled Council Chambers and the overflow viewing room Thursday.
Mayor Dwayne Ariola addressed some of the concerns about the facility, formerly known as BPP Projects LLC.
“A month ago, the first reading was done of this employment center request. About 36 hours prior to the meeting, lots of questions from this group here and then disappointment at that two days later why Shai Roos (interim development services director) didn’t address the questions. Well, that wasn’t the agenda item,” said Mayor Dwayne Ariola. “Y’all had questions on power consumption, water consumption, emissions, toxic whatever, so we’ve taken a month to research that.”
The data center is expected to bring $31 million in benefits to the city over its first 10 years, officials said.
Stopping the project now likely would mean Taylor would end up in court over the incentive contracts already signed, they added.
Supporters of the project also came to the session.
“I want to urge you to continue the forward momentum we have as a community toward greater prosperity by following through on the city’s agreement with BPP Projects for the data center,” Tia Rae Stone, president of the Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce, told the council.
“The benefits of progressing with this project are significant. Not just with the extra revenue for our schools and our city, but also because of the dangers posed by canceling or delaying the project,” she added. “Failure to proceed could demonstrate to the greater world of business and developers that Taylor is not ready to move forward.”
Ariola told the crowd the council was only approving a variance allowing higher fences than required by city codes, as well as the layout of the plan.
The ordinance OK’d by the council covers the employment center plan, a zoning change (the fence variance), and an amendment to the official zoning map of the city.
“We’re not being presented with if we can say ‘Yes, you can have it’ or ‘No, you cannot.’ That’s not what’s being asked of us,” Councilwoman Shelli Cobb said.
The council has no authority over what is done with the land as long as it falls within designated zoning.
“As long as they are putting something on the property that ... meets that list, they don’t have to ask us. They don’t have to say a word. It’s allowed. They’re entitled to use the property,” Cobb said. “When people say, ‘Nobody asked us’ — nobody asked us (the council) either.”
Blueprint Data Centers did, however, ask the city for a tax incentive package worth an estimated $24 million, which the council unanimously approved Aug. 8, 2024.
“Whether you’re in favor of the changes or not, it’s happening,” said Cobb.
Advance notice
As the drama has played out at City Hall over the project the last few weeks, neighbors said they did not receive any advance notification of the facility, which they fear could lead to health or pollution issues.
Dissenters have also said the government’s practice of using code names for business deals during early negotiations clouds the issue. Officials argue sometimes the code names are needed to maintain proprietary interests, and the real names become public soon enough.
Assistant City Manager Carly Pearson said Texas law requires giving notification to all property owners within 200 feet of a project, but Blueprint Data Centers is farther away than 200 feet from property lines.
In addition, the city does not have an ordinance requiring notification to properties more than 200 away. Council members also said those concerned about how that land was going to be used should have attended land-use meetings and public hearings in 2023 when the city changed the land development code.
As a result of those hearings, the parcel purchased by Blueprint Data Centers shifted from industrial zoning to an employment center, which allows for industrial or commercial use.
Also, numerous media outlets including the Press carried stories about the development.
Blueprint Data Centers agreed to join the Chamber as a requirement of its incentive program.
In face of the community opposition to the project, Ariola told Blueprint owner Yaerid Jacob he “strongly recommends” the developer hire a public relations firm to engage with the community.
