Fort Worth City Councilmembers Call for Data Center Moratorium

Fort Worth City Councilmembers called for a temporary moratorium on new data center development while the city continues researching potential regulations.

The councilmembers said data centers support healthcare, financial systems, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other essential digital services, but also raise questions involving land use, water and energy consumption, noise, infrastructure demands and effects on surrounding neighborhoods.

Following a June 30 public meeting and the Zoning Commission's July 8 consideration, the councilmembers said additional discussion and refinement are needed before regulations move forward.

They requested more time for research and stakeholder engagement so Fort Worth can balance economic opportunity with protections for residents, neighborhoods, natural resources and critical infrastructure.