HUTTO, Texas – A proposed data center in Hutto is no longer happening.
Zydeco Development, the developer behind the proposed data center on Ed Schmidt Boulevard, has formally withdrawn its request to rezone a parcel of land in Hutto.
According to the city, the proposal would have required changes to both the city’s future land use map and the SOAR 2040 comprehensive plans to convert the site’s designation from multifamily residential to heavy industrial.
The backstory:
At a public meeting earlier this month, the director of development services, Howard Koonz, formally recommended against approval.
“Our comprehensive plan reflects the community’s vision of how Hutto should grow, and that vision guides how we evaluate every item that comes before us,” said Koontz.
“As submitted, this proposal was not consistent with that vision. Thoughtful planning is a priority for the city, and we remain open to continued dialogue,” he added.
The City of Hutto said it remains committed to responsible, community-driven growth and will continue to carefully consider development proposals through its established planning process.
Dig deeper:
A week before the decision to withdraw the request to rezone the land, Hutto residents near the proposed site filed two written protests. The group was made up of residents stemming from a Facebook group called “Stop the Hutto data center.”
“We’ve been going door to door talking with our neighbors who live within the 200-foot boundary and collecting signatures,” a group member said. “We estimate that what we have so far represents about 42% of what we need for our efforts to be successful. To get the rest of the way there we need help from our neighbors.”
The residents hoped the protests would trigger a state-mandated supermajority vote by the city council.Â
Organizers say that the proposed development at 450 Ed Schmidt Boulevard seeks to amend both the Hutto future land use map and the Upper Schmidt’s Creek Planned Unit Development to allow for a large-scale data center.
Residents were concerned about 24/7 low-frequency noise, local power grid impact, and the long-term risk of a heavy industrial zone near residential neighborhoods.
What’s next:
The withdrawal comes ahead of a special planning and zoning commission meeting scheduled for April 20 at which the application had been set for consideration.
That meeting has been canceled, as no action by the commission is required.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Jenna King, and statements from a Hutto City Council meeting