Summary
Residents turned out in massive numbers to oppose a proposed 40-acre data center at Limmer Loop and Ed Schmidt Boulevard, citing severe concerns over water usage, electrical grid strain, noise pollution, reduced property values, and safety risks from battery storage fires.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 8
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 2 meetings in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 1, 2026.
Impact analysis
Could generate significant property tax revenue for the city while potentially depressing surrounding residential property values and increasing utility rates.
The developer and potential tech corporate tenants seeking substation adjacency.
Nearby homeowners in Cottonwood Farms, Hutto Town Square, and Emory Farms facing noise, reduced property values, and environmental risks.
Mentions & discussions (9)
City Council - Oct 1, 2026
The city approved rezoning 140 acres to a PUD for a massive data center and industrial campus. Residents raised concerns about water usage, lack of specific details, and on-site natural gas or backup power generation, but council added guardrails requiring closed-loop cooling and local sales tax sourcing.
City Council - Sep 17, 2026
Council began discussions on creating specialized building and development standards—such as noise, water usage, and setbacks—along with required community benefits for data centers.
Massive $280M data center to break ground in small Texas town
Massive $280M data center to break ground in small Texas town MySA
Planning and Zoning Commission - Sep 1, 2026
Residents are concerned about the impact of large-scale data centers on their quality of life, specifically regarding noise, light, and water usage.
City Council - Aug 1, 2026
Council members raised concerns about relying entirely on county estimates for major commercial developments like data centers. They discussed hiring an independent specialist to verify equipment and property values to protect city revenues.
Developer behind proposed data center withdraws rezoning request in Hutto
Developer behind proposed data center withdraws rezoning request in Hutto KVUE
Planning and Zoning Commission - Apr 7, 2026
Residents turned out in massive numbers to oppose a proposed 40-acre data center at Limmer Loop and Ed Schmidt Boulevard, citing severe concerns over water usage, electrical grid strain, noise pollution, reduced property values, and safety risks from battery storage fires.
City Council - Mar 12, 2026
Iron Mountain is proposing a large data center project. The city is weighing whether to provide utility services in exchange for community benefits.
Tesla heads to Hutto for expansion
Tesla heads to Hutto for expansion FOX 7 Austin
Related development
Skybox Data Center (Project SQL)
Expands the tax base significantly with high-value industrial and data center investment.
Data Center Campus (Case #ZON-26-0025)
Allows for a large-scale data center campus.
Zydeco Data Center PUD (Upper Schmidt's Creek)
Proposes high-value commercial tax base but faces intense community opposition over environmental and infrastructure impacts.
Taylor Meadows / Iron Mountain Data Centers
The project would utilize existing wastewater capacity previously allocated for residential development, potentially reducing overall demand.
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