WESTLAKE, Texas - A judge has dissolved a temporary restraining order on a controversial new data center in North Texas.
Westlake Data Center Debate
What's new:
The temporary restraining order that was placed on the Westlake development last month expired on Friday.
The judge did not extend it and said she needs more time to review a mountain of documents given to her on Friday morning.
Another hearing was set for Oct. 23.
The backstory:
Plans for a 1.1 million-square-foot data center in Westlake have been at the center of debate for months.
People in nearby Keller said they were not given proper notice about the development. They are also worried about the environmental impacts, along with their own quality of life including their health and property values.
The city of Keller filed for a temporary injunction to halt any further development.
Westlake data center proposal sparks concerns from Keller residents
Keller residents who live along the border with Westlake are raising concerns about a proposed data center planned in neighboring Westlake, saying the project would be located just steps from their homes.
Big picture view:
Data centers have become increasingly political ahead of the midterm elections.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking re-election, is now shifting course after initially welcoming data centers to Texas. He’s pushing to slow development by requiring resource audits before new permits are issued.
Abbott’s Democratic challenger, Giner Hinojosa, is calling for an immediate moratorium on data centers until the Texas Legislature can meet.
As for the planned data center in Westlake, Abbott said the developers have agreed to comply with the state’s audit requirements.
The Source: The information in this story comes from Friday's court hearing and past news coverage.