The City Council granted final zoning approval to a developer looking to construct a data center in rural southeast Fort Worth, clearing the way for the project despite passionate pleas from residents.
At its Sept. 30 meeting, the council considered a request from Black Mountain, a Fort Worth-based energy consortium, to rezone 119 acres for light industrial to accommodate the proposed data center. The council had previously approved rezoning more than 300 acres of surrounding land for the $10 billion development.
Rhett Bennett, CEO of Black Mountain, said the project would bring thousands of construction jobs to the area during build out, then hundreds of high-paying jobs once the data center and associated industrial park were complete. Bennett estimated the development would contribute approximately $8 million in annual tax revenue to the city.
At the council meeting were a contingent representing Weston Gardens, which occupies two tracts of land on Anglin Drive near the proposed data center site. On the east side of Anglin is Weston’s garden center and plant nursery. On the west side are the historic botanical gardens, which serve as an event venue in addition to being open to the public…