Controversy dogs Project Comal
Concerns about noise pollution, rising energy costs and claims city leaders are ignoring the public’s wishes surfaced again at Thursday’s City Council meeting concerning a data center development known as Project Comal.
This is the latest data center to go before the council and, like other local high-tech projects, is generating its share of controversy.
Council members, however, contend they are listening to constituents.
The agenda included a public hearing and the first reading of ordinances that would approve annexing property and accepting an employment center plan for the project.
KDC Senior Vice President Bill Guthrey presents City Council with an overview on Project Comal. PPhoto by Edie Zuvanich
The council took no action since it was a first reading. The items will appear on a future agenda for approval.
“We don’t have laws that are going to hold the data centers accountable for our water and our electricity and our environment. We don’t even have anything on the books that accurately describe what a data center is,” said Lisa Drummond during the public hearing. “We are not literate enough in this particular topic to be able to make these kinds of decisions for people going forward for the next 20 or 30 years.”
The project at 1051 CR 401 spans 220 acres abutting Samsung Austin Semiconductor on one side and the Castlewood South residential neighborhood on another side.
The majority of the land would be dedicated to a multi-building data center complex serving one single large tenant that is a nationally recognized name, according to representatives from development firm KDC.
A small adjacent lot would be developed for other commercial uses.
Drummond echoed what other speakers asked for: Pausing datacenter development until more “appropriate” ordinances are in place to protect residents and the environment.
Highlighting the need for additional knowledge, Mayor Dwayne Ariola said KDC representatives had met with council members individually to discuss the project, but the council was unaware the data center would have around 180 backup generators on site.
KDC disclosed that each of the six buildings would have 30 generators after a resident’s comments spurred the council to ask.
KDC Senior Vice President Bill Guthrey said the company has been working on the project for more than two years and has been talking with the city for more than a year.
“What we want you to know tonight is that our intention – and we want you to hear this – is to collaborate with the city and the community to deliver a high-value, low-impact facility. It will benefit the city and region for many years to come with transformational economic impact,” Guthrey said.
The data center site is part of an area designated by the city to be reserved for companies and industries that would potentially support Samsung, which is expected be operational in 2026.
Guthrey said KDC originally envisioned developing the land as an industrial, manufacturing and logistics site due to its adjacency to Samsung, but the economics associated with developing the land as a data center were more compelling to KDC and to the city.
Resident Alexandria Aguirre said she worked in a data center in Austin in 2017 and would not have bought her house in Castlewood South if she had known a data center was being built nearby.
“They’re loud. They’re noisy. It’s a hum. It’s like a constant vacuum. It gives a permanent migraine,” she said.
Aguirre said the noise from the data center she worked at could be heard from quite a distance.
“Taylor High School is there. Those kids deserve to be able to function and go to school and not have that forever humming,” she said.
Having listened to public concerns, council members asked KDC questions about energy costs.
A representative said KDC will cover all the infrastructure costs within its footprint, but added the public’s electric bill is affected by “many factors.” Across Texas, electric-company costs for infrastructure upgrades to bring highvoltage electricity to data centers and other large users are generally being borne by ratepayers, critics of the industry said.
Dissenters at the meeting said they hope council members will take their concerns seriously.
“People are telling you that they want more conversation about this and they want to be heard. And what we’re getting back from our representatives are over-explanations,” said Carrie D’Anna. “You are explaining on behalf of the developers all of the context and the things that are part of it. It’s not appropriate...you’re really going in and showing us that you hear the developers... but you’re not listening to the people who say we don’t want this.”
This is not the first outcry against a data center as Taylor continues to attract more hightech businesses.
Project Comal is the second data center to confirm its intentions to buildinTaylor. Thefirst project, Blueprint Data Centers, has also faced backlash from residents. Neighborhood property owners filed a lawsuit to stop the development due to its location in a residential green space on the south side of town that was intended by previous owners to be donated to the community as a park.
The neighbors’ case was dismissed by Williamson County’s 395th state District Court in October but has been transferred to the15th Court of Appeals.
It is not yet known whether the appellate court will accept the case.
