Fort Worth council to review proposed rules for data centers

By Atlas Watchline Staff · Regulatory · August 18, 2026

Fort Worth leaders are set to review proposed rules for local data center projects, including setback limits, noise buffers and a possible path to a moratorium.

Fort Worth City Council members are scheduled to hold a work session Tuesday to review proposed regulations for local data center developments.

The proposal includes possible building restrictions, neighborhood buffers and water-use rules. City officials could also consider whether to begin the process for a temporary halt on additional projects.

Among the ideas under review are a 250-foot setback from residential properties and a 50-foot landscaped buffer intended to reduce operational noise. The proposal also calls for data centers to use closed-loop cooling systems, a change described as a way to protect municipal water supplies.

City staff are expected to present regulatory options, community feedback and the formal process required to enact a temporary halt on new facilities. If council members choose to move forward, the next step could be a vote as early as next week to start the legal process for a moratorium.

That process would not produce an immediate ban. The source says months of public hearings would follow before any full moratorium could be enacted.

The proposal comes as officials consider stricter standards for projects that could affect nearby neighborhoods and city resources. The source does not identify any specific data center developer or project under review.

Council members could decide next week whether to begin the moratorium process, setting up the public hearings that would follow.

Sources

• Audacy KRLD

Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.

This is the AMP version of the article. Read the full article on Atlas Watchline.