Resolution on data centers passed
Caldwell County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a resolution that officially stated the court’s position on data centers and urged the state government to take steps toward allowing counties to better regulate them.
The resolution acknowledged citizen concerns about data centers that include impacts on quality of life, public health and the environment and detailed the limitations of county government to regulate development, reminding citizens that counties do not have zoning or land-use regulatory powers like cities do.
While the resolution did not state total opposition to data centers, it noted the importance of making sure steps are taken to protect people and natural resources and said it opposed any development that does not take those steps:
“The Caldwell County Commissioners Court supports responsible economic development, including appropriately designed and sited data center facilities. However, the Court formally expresses opposition to the use of open-loop evaporative cooling systems or other high-volume potable water consumption technologies in large-scale, high continuous-load data center facilities within water-constrained regions, absent demonstratedsustainable supply and mitigation safeguards. The Court further opposes any data center development that fails to incorporate adequate safeguards to protect county resources and residents.”
The court urged the state and all regulatory agencies involved with approving data centers to require full public reporting of anticipated electricity demand, water usage and infrastructure impacts, noting that no project should proceed without independent assessments of:
- Impacts on ERCOT grid reliability and transmission capacity
- Impacts on regional water availability and drought contingency planning
- Impacts on agricultural lands, rangelands, wildlife habitats, natural drainage patterns, and potential habitat fragmentation, including effects on prime farmland, soil integrity, and stormwater runoff
- Long-term infrastructure costs borne by taxpayers
- Effects on surrounding residential, agricultural, and commercial land uses.
The court also requested that Gov. Greg Abbott take legislative action to move toward giving counties more say in what goes on with large-scale data center developments, including:
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- Making them an interim study priority for appropriate legislative committees to evaluate grid reliability, water consumption, local authority, infrastructure impacts, and fiscal implications
- Calling a special session of the Texas Legislature to address urgent reliability, water supply and local governance concerns
- Enacting legislation providing counties and municipalities meaningful participation and authority in land usage, infrastructure planning and resource impact review with data center developments.
- Approved a Caldwell County Courthouse Preservation Master Plan, which provides comprehensive details about recommended repairs and renovations for the historic building. While Ford, Powell and Carson – the independent firm commissioned to author the plan – said the building is overall in good condition, the last major refresh took place between 1998-2000 and the firm recommended improvements totaling $4.2 million. Funding to address the projects could be secured if the county is awarded a grant that is set to be announced in July.
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Approved an order prohibiting commercial vehicle traffic on County Line Road (aka CR 172) from its intersection with FM 1854 to CR 172A.
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Approved the selection of projects to include in the USDOT FY26 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant application. The projects, which were included in the 2024 Road Bond, include a speed study, traffic signal warrant analysis, signing, pavement markings and widening for lanes at the SH 80/San Marcos Highway intersection at FM 20/State Park Road and signing, illumination, pavement markings, widening for turn lanes, pedestrian improvements and flashing beacons at the SH 80 corridor from the Hays County line to FM 1979.
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Voted to leave the burn ban off.
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Denied ratification of a proposed resolution authorizing the county to apply for the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority FY 2027 task force grant. The plan involved hiring two Constable’s Deputy positions in Precinct 2 who would be tasked with vehicle crime prevention and funding their salaries with the grant. Commissioners voted to deny the request due to not wanting to use a one-year grant to fund salaries.
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Proclaimed May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month.
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Authorized the sale of fireworks for Juneteenth excluding aerial fireworks with sticks or fins.
- Approved a selection committee’s choice to contract with Quiddity Engineering for engineering services and grant related support on the Texas Water Development Board Outdoor Warning Siren Grant.