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The Data Center Divide

City of Lubbock

Anti-Data Center Policies

Lubbock’s enacted 18-month moratorium temporarily blocks covered high-water- or high-energy-use data center projects, though the description also calls the resolution nonbinding; separate standards remain draft proposals.

current law · City of Lubbock
This resolution states that the City of Lubbock will not consider large-scale data-center development until the city adopts protections for residents and public resources.City of Lubbock Resolution 2026-R0327 (2026)

What this means

An 18-month moratorium on high-water-use or high-energy-use data centers would temporarily block covered projects from being built or expanded in Lubbock, causing major delays. The draft standards also propose substantial requirements for large facilities, though the council resolution itself is described as nonbinding.

People behind it

  • District 6 Councilman who proposed the non-binding resolution stating that large-scale data centers should not be developed within Lubbock city limits until protective regulations are adopted.

  • Introduced and considered the resolution and the proposed 18-month moratorium on high-water-use and high-energy-use data centers.

  • Responsible for conducting the public hearing on the proposed 18-month moratorium under the City Charter.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements18

  • A non-binding City Council resolution states that large-scale data centers should not be developed within Lubbock city limits until the Council adopts regulations protecting public resources, public health, and safety. non-binding resolution

  • The Council agenda proposed an 18-month moratorium on high-water-use and high-energy-use data centers in Lubbock. 18-month moratorium

  • Large-scale data centers would require a Specific Use Permit and would be allowed only in the Light Industrial or General Industrial zoning districts, with City Council approval on a case-by-case basis. Specific Use Permit

  • Each large-scale data center project would require two public hearings, one before the Planning and Zoning Commission and one before the City Council. two Public Hearings

  • The proposed standards apply to data centers using at least 100 megawatts of power and/or 100,000 gallons of water per day, primarily serving one or more off-site users. 100 megawatts

  • Data centers would have to use closed-loop cooling, air-dry cooling, or similar technology that minimizes water use and eliminates continuous withdrawals from the City’s public water system. closed-loop cooling systems

  • Applicants would have to identify the proposed cooling system and provide total water consumption at full build-out as part of the application. Total water consumption at full build out

  • A data center estimated to consume at least 100,000 gallons of water per day would be subject to a City-established Water Reservation Fee, assessed when the development agreement is executed. Water Reservation Fee

  • Buildings and structures would generally have to meet the base zoning setbacks, but property adjacent to a district other than Light Industrial or General Industrial would require a 300-foot setback from all property lines; the setback would increase to 500 feet if on-site generation exists. 300 feet

  • The site would have to provide perimeter screening consisting of either a minimum six-foot berm or a minimum seven-foot solid fence around all buildings and power-generation structures. six-foot berm

  • In addition to other required landscaping, at least four canopy trees would have to be planted along the property perimeter for every 100 feet. four (4) canopy trees

  • Noise could not exceed 57 decibels at any property line, and the applicant would have to submit a sound study, sound-absorption barriers, and acoustic materials and construction plans. 57 decibels

  • Routine generator exercise and maintenance would be limited to Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Generators routine exercise maintenance

  • Applicants would have to provide a power study prepared by a licensed engineer showing the type of generation and the project’s power usage. power study completed by a licensed engineer

  • Construction and operational air-quality compliance documents would have to be provided to the City upon request. compliance documents shall be provided

  • Outdoor lighting would be subject to shielding requirements for luminaires producing more than 1,500 lumens and a maximum vertical illuminance of 2.0 footcandles at lot lines in Light Industrial and General Industrial districts. 2.0 footcandles

  • For on-site generation, the application would have to include a decommissioning plan and a letter of credit. Decommissioning Plan and a Letter of Credit

  • On-site power generation, transmission, and distribution would require a Specific Use Permit, and data centers with on-site generation would remain subject to all proposed standards, including the noise limits. on-site power generation

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions3

  • Large-scale data centers may be pursued in Light Industrial or General Industrial districts through a Specific Use Permit, subject to case-by-case City Council approval.

  • A data center using an estimated 100,000 gallons of water per day may reserve water through a development agreement by paying a City-established Water Reservation Fee; the fee is credited back if the project closes but is lost if the buyer does not close.

  • Data centers may use closed-loop, air-dry, or similar cooling systems that minimize water use and eliminate continuous withdrawals from the City’s public water system.

Sources

current law · City of Lubbock
Exact named resolution unverified: the reviewed sources do not establish the text, adoption, subject matter, or data-center relevance of City of Lubbock Resolution 2026-R0364, nor establish that it is the September action described below.City of Lubbock Resolution 2026-R0364 (2026)

People behind it

  • Related Item 6.10 sponsor only; affiliation with exact named Resolution 2026-R0364 unverified. The attorney identifies Councilmembers Martinez Garcia and Harris.

  • Related Item 6.10 co-sponsor only; affiliation with exact named Resolution 2026-R0364 unverified. See the attorney's sponsorship statement.

  • Identified as City Manager in the related September agenda; role under exact named Resolution 2026-R0364 remains unverified.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2

  • No anti-data-center provision is verified for exact named Resolution 2026-R0364. Related action only: Item 6.10 initiates procedures toward a proposed 90-day pause on acceptance, processing, and/or approval of large-scale data-center rezoning, building-permit and annexation applications. That is not an operative ban or an established identity match.

  • Related action only, not an attributed provision of Resolution 2026-R0364: the attorney describes studying possible development standards concerning electricity, water resources, setbacks, screening, landscaping, noise, lighting, air quality and decommissioning; these are study topics rather than enacted technical standards.

Sources

pending · City of Lubbock
The proposed amendments would limit large-scale data centers to light-industrial and general-industrial districts with a specific-use permit and require two public hearings before approval.Proposed City of Lubbock Unified Development Code Amendments for Large-Scale Data Centers (2026)

What this means

The proposal would make large data centers harder to build by limiting them to industrial zones with special approval and adding public hearings, water-use rules, fees, studies, and larger setbacks. It would also impose operating and site requirements, including noise limits and screening, creating significant costs and approval hurdles, though it would not ban development outright (proposed standards).

People behind it

  • Proposed and administers the large-scale data center development standards through its local regulatory authority.

  • Reviews the proposed Unified Development Code amendments and makes a recommendation to the City Council.

  • Has final authority to approve or reject the proposed Unified Development Code amendments.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements15

  • The standards apply to data centers using at least 100 megawatts of power and/or 100,000 gallons of water per day that primarily provide information or processing to off-site end users. Definition of a large-scale data center

  • Large-scale data centers may be located only in Light Industrial or General Industrial zoning districts and require a Specific Use Permit approved by the City Council; each request is considered case by case. Data centers would only be allowed in two Zoning Districts through a Specific Use Permit

  • Every large-scale data center project must undergo two public hearings, one before the Planning and Zoning Commission and one before the City Council, where anyone may speak for or against the project. All large-scale data center projects will require two Public Hearings

  • Applicants must submit a power-usage study prepared by a licensed engineer showing the project's power usage and the type of generation it will use. Provide a power study completed by a licensed engineer

  • Data centers must use closed-loop cooling, air-dry cooling, or similar technology that minimizes water use and eliminates continuous withdrawals from the City's public water system. The proposed cooling system and total full-buildout water consumption must be included in the application. All data center facilities shall employ closed-loop cooling systems

  • A data center with estimated daily water consumption of at least 100,000 gallons is subject to a City-established water reservation fee. The fee is assessed when the development agreement is executed, is credited if the project closes, and is forfeited if the buyer does not close. Data Centers with an estimated daily consumption of 100,000 GPD shall be subject to a Water Reservation Fee

  • Buildings and structures must meet the base zoning setbacks; if any property boundary borders a district other than Light Industrial or General Industrial, the minimum setback is 300 feet from all property lines, increasing to 500 feet when on-site generation exists. The minimum setback shall be 300 feet

  • The property must have either a minimum six-foot berm around its entire perimeter or a minimum seven-foot solid screening fence around all buildings and power-generation structures. Screening must consist of either

  • In addition to other required landscaping, the perimeter must include at least four canopy trees for every 100 feet. A minimum of four canopy trees shall be planted along the perimeter

  • Noise may not exceed 57 decibels at any property line. Applicants must provide a sound study and plans for sound-absorption barriers and acoustic materials or construction. Noise levels shall not exceed a maximum of 57 decibels

  • Routine generator exercise and maintenance is limited to Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Generators routine exercise maintenance is limited to Monday–Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

  • During construction and operation, data centers must comply with federal and state air-quality regulations and provide compliance documents to the City upon request. Copies of compliance documents shall be provided to the City of Lubbock upon request

  • Outdoor luminaires with initial output above 1,500 lumens must be fully shielded, and vertical illuminance at the lot line in Light Industrial and General Industrial districts may not exceed 2.0 footcandles. All luminaires with initial lamp output of over 1,500 lumens shall be fully shielded

  • For on-site generation, applicants must submit a decommissioning plan and a letter of credit with the application. A Decommissioning Plan and a Letter of Credit are required

  • On-site power generation, transmission, and distribution require a Specific Use Permit, and the proposed data-center standards, including the noise limits, apply when on-site generation is included. Current Code requires that on-site power generation, transmission, and distribution have a Specific Use Permit

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions4

  • The measure establishes a specific-use-permit pathway for large-scale data centers in Light Industrial and General Industrial districts, allowing them to be considered for development on a case-by-case basis with City Council approval.

  • A data center may reserve City water through a development agreement by paying a Water Reservation Fee. The fee is credited back if the project closes, or forfeited if the buyer does not close, allowing a project to secure water capacity while it is being developed.

  • The large-scale data-center standards apply only to facilities meeting the stated thresholds—at least 100 megawatts of power and/or 100,000 gallons of daily water use, while primarily serving off-site end users—so facilities below the applicable thresholds are outside these special standards.

  • On-site power generation, transmission, and distribution are permitted through a specific-use-permit process, providing a regulatory pathway for a data center to develop its own power facilities.

Sources

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