The Wichita Falls City Council on Tuesday unanimously rejected a request to rezone 117 acres in the north part of the city to accommodate a proposed data center, according to council proceedings.

The land sits between Interstate Highway 44, Spur 325 and Airport Drive. The applicants proposed nine two-story structures totaling roughly 150,000 square feet each. Councilor Robert Brooks was absent from the vote.

Applicant: not the end developer

Attorney Brad Altman, listed as an applicant for the zoning change on behalf of Data Nova X, told the council the group was not the end developer of the site. Altman said the applicants had been in discussions with potential end developers but could not name them due to nondisclosure agreements.

"You’re flipping this?" Mayor Tim Short asked.

"Yeah, we’re getting the land prepared," Altman replied.

Will Pender of Data Nova X said 400 to 500 workers would be on site during construction, which would be staggered over multiple years, and that workers would likely be bused in. Pender also said a traffic study would be conducted.

Council concerns

Multiple councilors said they generally support data centers but raised concerns about this specific proposal:

  • Councilor Austin Cobb said he was a "pro data center guy" but was bothered by "the flipping part," saying the council did not know who the end operator would be.
  • Councilor Mike Battaglino asked whether officials at Sheppard Air Force Base had been consulted. Altman said they had not.
  • Councilor Tom Taylor, whose district includes much of north Wichita Falls, cited concerns about residents and existing traffic near the base.
  • Councilor Jeff Browing said he was "100% pro data centers" but had been getting calls from constituents and asked whether the project could be reworked.
  • Councilor Whitney Flack raised concerns about light pollution.

Mayor Short said the location was problematic. "I think the location is a nightmare," he said. "It feels like it’s fitting a square peg into a round hole."

Cobb also asked whether Data Nova X had received approval from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Altman said they had applied, but that "there’s a lot of stuff moneywise with ERCOT."

Public comment

Several residents addressed the council:

  • Peggy York said she was concerned about low-frequency sound and argued that data centers should cover their own electricity costs rather than passing them to residents.
  • Kimberly Wachsman said she opposed data centers, citing environmental impact.
  • Annette Stream raised concerns about water usage during droughts and possible groundwater contamination.
  • Cassandra Castro said many residents do not fully understand the long-term impact of data centers.
  • Cathy Dodson, a candidate for District 3 in the Nov. 3 election, said she heard "no real answers" during the discussion and questioned siting the project near residential neighborhoods.
  • Former Mayor Stephen Santellana, who said he works professionally on data center projects across Texas, spoke in favor and said well-run projects can be community partners.

Other council action

According to the agenda, the council also took up:

  • A lease of 80 golf carts for Champions Golf Course at $296,640.
  • An appropriation of approximately $15,230 for the Click It or Ticket 2026 grant.
  • An application for a $309,000 grant from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority.