“It’s not their job to figure out whether or not it’s legal.” — Carrie D’Anna, Halt Taylor Data Centers Coalition
A grassroots organization is seeking a court order forcing Taylor officials to put a decision on controlling data-center development before voters Nov. 3.
The Halt Taylor Data Centers coalition filed the writ of mandamus Friday after the City Council July 9 said state law doesn’t allow zoning issues to go on the ballot of a popular election, such as the midterm in November.
The coalition had presented the city with a 1,400-signature petition asking the council to allow voters in November to decide on pausing local data center development and creating new zoning.
By law, the council sets measures to go on a ballot before an election, such as city charter amendments.
Instead, the city plans to collect public feedback and the council will decide whether to approve zoning ordinances for data centers and other digital businesses, possibly in September.
Halt Taylor Data Centers Coalition held a press conference Saturday morning at Fannie Robinson Park, 1009 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., to discuss asking for legal action to force the city to reverse its decision.
“We filed a writ of mandamus, so we’re going to have City Council do their job and either take action on the petition and put it on the ballot or accept it wholesale into the Land Development Code,” said Carrie D’Anna, a spokeswoman.
A writ of mandamus is a formal court order that orders a government agency to perform a legally required duty. It is often used to force a city to hold an election if the plaintiffs feel officials are not following the law.
“What our filing says is, it’s not their job to figure out whether or not it’s legal, but to initiate citizen legislation,” D’Anna said. “Either put it on the ballot, accept it or offer different wording to go on the ballot. It’s not their job to reject it.”
According to Halt Taylor members, the petition further argues the council violated the City Charter when it placed the certified petition on the agenda but took no deliberation or vote.
The petition — submitted on June 11 and certified by the city on June 22 — would amend the Land Development Code to remove data centers from all existing zoning districts and prohibit any approvals unless and until a dedicated digital infrastructure zone is adopted.
“This is not about whether data centers belong in Taylor — it’s about whether our City Charter means what it says. We believe the charter required the council to act. They didn’t. Now we’re asking the courts to compel them to do their job and call an election as required by the Taylor City Charter,” said Jose Orta, a Taylor resident and coalition member.
Following the press conference, Halt Taylor members conducted an information session.
“We also want people to get involved and learn Land Development Code works and get more educated about what data centers are and where they’re coming into our city,” D’Anna said.
The controversy has been sparked by the group’s opposition to the planned Blueprint Projects Data Center set for Taylor’s southeast side. Critics say the 87-acre tract was meant to be parkland, but last year a state district judge in Georgetown ruled the project could continue after a lawsuit was filed.
In a taped statement released Friday morning, Mayor Jim Buzan said city officials are listening to constituents.
“The reason that's important is because all of the zoning ordinances that the petition wanted to see will be embedded into the next revision and comp plan. It is vitally important that we get this right,” he said.
The council during its meeting Thursday, July 23, is scheduled to discuss the legal action in executive session.
