- Fort Worth’s City Council approved a revised site plan for Black Mountain’s $10 billion, just over 1 million-square-foot data center campus on 187 acres after months of delay.
- The revised plan trades building height, up to 70 feet, for a 50% cut in land use, after the original 3 million-square-foot, 18-building version drew resident pushback.
- The approval comes as Fort Worth stands up a new Data Center and Infrastructure Commission and considers a 90-day moratorium on new data center projects starting in mid-February.
The Fort Worth City Council approved a revised site plan for Black Mountain’s $10 billion data center campus, clearing the just over 1 million-square-foot project to move forward after months of delay, according to Bisnow. The campus will sit on 187 acres in the southeast portion of the city.
Get Smarter About What Matters in Texas
Subscribe to our free newsletter covering the biggest commercial real estate stories across Texas — delivered in just 5 minutes.
From 18 Buildings to a Smaller Footprint
The project originally called for 3 million square feet across 18 buildings. But the council tabled the request in May and June after residents pushed back.
The revised plan adds an electrical substation and allows four buildings to reach 70 feet. That extra height helped Black Mountain cut the campus footprint by 50%, according to a council presentation.
Trading height for less land use is becoming a common compromise for data center developers. Residents and councils are increasingly pushing back on the size of these campuses. Fort Worth’s decision could set a precedent for how future projects are negotiated.
The Details
Black Mountain CEO Rhett Bennett said the company wanted to address concerns from nearby residents, even though the site was already zoned for data center use. The property sits south of Lon Stephenson Road, between Forest Hill and Anglin drives.
The revised site plan includes more than 300 feet of buffer space between the data center buildings and nearby homes. Bennett said that buffer was key to winning council support.
Local business owner Emerald Khan spoke in favor of the project. Community activist Ambike Sharma urged the council to delay the vote again until the city’s new data center commission completes its review.
“If we’re going to make investment in soliciting expert opinions and expert suggestions, let’s wait for those suggestions to be provided,” Sharma told the council.
Zooming Out
Fort Worth isn’t alone in facing resistance to large data centers. Red Oak is facing a similar wave of resident opposition.
Other North Texas cities are also seeing delays. Dallas-based White Rose Partners had its data center proposal for a 37-acre Prosper site pulled from an August planning and zoning agenda. The project is now scheduled for September.
That delay-and-revise pattern mirrors Black Mountain’s path to approval.
Why It Matters
Fort Worth created a new Data Center and Infrastructure Commission on Aug. 11. The group will evaluate the impact of data centers on energy, water, and economic development. Its recommendations are due Nov. 3.
The city is also considering a 90-day moratorium on new data center approvals starting in mid-February. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has separately paused new data center grid connections statewide while the state audits power demand.
The same tensions are emerging in other markets, including Marietta’s data center fight over a Prime Group project.
What’s Next
The proposed moratorium would not affect Black Mountain’s already-approved project. Still, it signals that Fort Worth wants stronger rules before approving more campuses.
The Data Center and Infrastructure Commission’s November recommendations will likely shape the city’s next round of approvals. White Rose’s pending Prosper project will be one to watch.
Abbott’s statewide audit will also examine data center power, water, and ownership data. Proposed projects have requested more than five times the power the Texas grid has ever produced.
The audit could lead to closer utility scrutiny, even for approved projects like Black Mountain’s. Because it is not a formal moratorium, developers will be watching how it interacts with city-level rules in Fort Worth and elsewhere.
