The Brownsville City Commission held a special workshop on Tuesday to examine proposed regulations that would govern how data centers are built and operated within city limits, while also discussing a potential 90-day pause on new data center projects as officials work to establish a formal framework.

A Code Without Data Center Rules

Mayor John Cowen Jr. acknowledged at the outset of the workshop that the city currently lacks specific provisions for data centers in its existing code.

"Currently, our code does not specifically address data center regulations, and the purpose of this workshop is to outline options for that framework, ensuring the community's needs are addressed first," Cowen said.

City staff used the session to present recommendations designed to encourage economic development while building in protections for adjacent neighborhoods through zoning restrictions, infrastructure standards, and ongoing operational requirements.

Heavy Industrial Zoning and Special Use Permits

Under the proposed ordinance, data centers would only be allowed in Heavy Industrial zoning districts. Before any construction could begin, developers would be required to obtain a Special Use Permit.

That initial permit would be valid for one year, giving the city a window to verify that a project is meeting operational standards and infrastructure requirements before granting longer-term approval.

The one-year probationary structure reflects the city's intent to maintain active oversight in the early stages of any data center's operation rather than approving projects outright without continued scrutiny.

Distance, Buffers, and Site Limits

The proposed regulations include several provisions aimed at reducing the impact of data center development on surrounding communities. Facilities would be restricted to five-acre sites and would be required to maintain at least a one-mile separation from residential neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and other data centers.

That separation requirement applies across multiple sensitive land uses, suggesting the city views data centers as a land use category requiring meaningful distance from where people live, receive care, and gather.

To further soften the footprint of any facility, the proposal calls for a 20-foot landscaped buffer planted with native trees along with an eight-foot masonry or solid screening wall.

The combination of vegetation and hard screening is intended to reduce noise and improve the visual appearance of facilities from neighboring properties.

Cooling Systems and Utility Coordination

Among the technical requirements outlined in the proposal is a mandate that data centers use closed-loop cooling systems.

Data centers are known for their significant water and energy demands, and the closed-loop requirement signals that Brownsville officials are attentive to the strain large facilities could place on local utilities.

Developers would also be required to coordinate with utility providers ahead of time, demonstrate that adequate electrical and water capacity exists to serve their projects, and submit a compliant water disposal plan before receiving approval to move forward.

These infrastructure prerequisites position utility coordination as a prerequisite rather than an afterthought, requiring developers to demonstrate readiness before breaking ground.

Annual Reviews and Ongoing Reporting

The proposed ordinance does not treat approval as a one-time event.

Once operational, data centers would be subject to annual compliance reviews and utility reporting requirements.

City officials described this ongoing oversight structure as central to the framework's design, allowing the city to track whether facilities are continuing to meet the standards under which they were originally approved.

The 90-Day Moratorium Discussion

Alongside the proposed zoning and operational rules, commissioners discussed a potential moratorium on new data center projects. City Attorney Will Trevino outlined the legal parameters of such an action. "The moratorium is limited to 90 days.

Thereafter, we can extend it for another 90 days.

So, the total that we can do a moratorium is 180 days," Trevino said.

The moratorium, if approved, would give the city time to evaluate and finalize its regulatory framework before any new data center projects advance.

Neither the moratorium nor the proposed ordinance was voted on during the workshop. Both are expected to return to the City Commission for formal consideration at a future meeting.

Balancing Growth and Neighborhood Quality

City officials framed the proposed regulations as an effort to strike a balance between attracting economic development and protecting the quality of life for Brownsville residents.

The workshop format was chosen to give the public a closer look at the proposed rules before any formal action is taken, reflecting an approach that positions community input as part of the process rather than a formality following a decision.

The one-mile separation requirement, the landscaping and screening mandates, and the utility coordination prerequisites collectively indicate that the city's draft framework is oriented toward limiting the negative externalities of data center development as much as enabling the industry's growth within Brownsville.