In short: Lubbock’s Planning and Zoning Commission votes Thursday on a recommendation, not a final decision, on where and how large data centers could be built. No large-scale data center has been approved in the city, according to city documents and local reporting.
What Thursday’s vote is, and isn’t
The agenda says the commission “makes recommendation; City Council has final authority.” The item would define large-scale data centers and set standards. Under the July 7 draft, they would be allowed only in light and general industrial zones, with a “specific use” permit requiring hearings before P&Z and the council. The rules would not ban data centers or approve a project.
What’s already decided, and what’s still open
- Decided: In September, the council unanimously passed a non-binding resolution saying large-scale data centers won’t be developed until it adopts regulations, KCBD reported. On Sept. 22, it voted 5-2 to start the moratorium process, KTTZ reported.
- Open: The rules are pending. So is the moratorium, which needs two hearings and then at least a 6-1 vote, KTTZ reported. The water fee amount will come in a separate ordinance, Sager said.
- Withdrawn: A 936-acre data center rezoning was voted down by P&Z and withdrawn in January, the Avalanche-Journal reported.
Questions readers are asking
Has a data center already been approved, or land sold to one? One smaller project has. In June, the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) board approved an agreement with Corva for a 50,000-square-foot data center near Municipal Drive and Guava, KCBD reported. LEDA President John Osborne said Corva “paid for the land” and the already light-industrial site got no city incentives, so no P&Z or council vote was needed. Corva plans 6 to 27 megawatts and 1,500 gallons of water a day with closed-loop cooling. Osborne told The Texas Tribune it is “not a done deal” until Corva gets a Lubbock Power & Light hookup. A May 22 Texas Tech forum was a discussion event; KCBD reported “no firm plans for a data center in Lubbock.”
Is there enough water? About 61% of Lubbock’s water is Ogallala Aquifer groundwater from the Roberts and Bailey county well fields; the rest comes from Lake Alan Henry and Lake Meredith, the city said July 7. The city’s 2025 water plan projects 316,922 residents by 2035. We found no official projection of 170,000 more residents in 10 years. The plan expects current supplies to fall short of yearly demand around 2030 without new projects such as the proposed Lake 7.
On Oct. 27, 64% of Lubbock County was in moderate drought or worse (U.S. Drought Monitor). On Nov. 2, Lake Alan Henry was 73.8% full and Lake Meredith 45.9% (Water Data for Texas). County monitoring wells fell an average 3.09 feet over 10 years, the High Plains Water District reports.
The draft would charge a water reservation fee and require a new permit to expand water use more than 10% beyond what the permit lists. The definition covers facilities using 100,000 gallons a day or meeting the state large-power threshold. The July draft required closed-loop or air-dry cooling; part of the Nov. 5 packet wasn’t readable to us, so we couldn’t confirm it remains. The documents don’t say whether data centers must use reclaimed water or could use their own wells.
Do data centers use drinking water? Most U.S. data centers use potable water, mostly from city utilities; some use reclaimed water, an Environmental Law Institute fact sheet says. Evaporative cooling loses about 80% of the water it draws; closed-loop systems recirculate it.
Will my electric bill go up? The draft doesn’t address rates. LP&L spokesperson Matt Rose told KCBD a large data center would pay up front for its own study and infrastructure, and told other customers, “you will be held harmless.” A state Public Utility Commission rule under 2025’s Senate Bill 6 requires loads of 75 megawatts or more to post $50,000 per megawatt in security and pay direct interconnection costs.
Do data centers get tax breaks? The draft rules don’t mention them. Cities, counties and special districts can grant 10-year property tax abatements; school districts can’t, says the Texas Comptroller. Qualifying data centers can get a temporary exemption from the 6.25% state sales tax on some equipment and electricity. Abilene approved an 85% abatement for the Lancium/Crusoe site for 10 years, renewable for 10 more, city records show. Taylor County approved 80%, and Abilene ISD has none, KTAB reported. We found no record of a developer seeking a Lubbock-area abatement.
What about noise and air? The draft caps noise at 57 decibels at property lines, limits routine generator testing to weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and requires air-quality compliance documents on request. Gov. Greg Abbott paused new data center grid connections in August pending an audit, and on Sept. 21 told TCEQ to stop issuing data center permits, KTTZ reported.
What do the people involved say? Council member Tim Green, who voted against the moratorium, called a large data center “a transformational opportunity,” KTTZ reported. P&Z member Robert Wood said of the September draft, “if this is what we adopt, we’ll never see a data center in the city limits of Lubbock,” KCBD reported. Save Lubbock organizer Stephen Sanders said “the money will be good for us tax wise” once guardrails are up, Lubbock Lights reported.
See our earlier story on the full draft rules.
Sources
- City of Lubbock: Nov. 5, 2026, P&Z agenda packet
- City of Lubbock: Nov. 5, 2026, P&Z agenda
- City of Lubbock: July 7 data center presentation (Planning)
- City of Lubbock: July 7 data center presentation (water and finance)
- City of Lubbock: Data center page
- City of Lubbock: 2025 Strategic Water Supply Plan
- City of Lubbock: Public notice, Nov. 10 moratorium hearing; City Secretary contact page
- KTTZ, Sept. 23 and Oct. 9
- KCBD: Sept. 9, Sept. 10, July 30, Aug. 13, May 22
- The Texas Tribune, July 29
- Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Jan. 16
- Lubbock Lights: May forum, Sept. 29
- Texas Comptroller: Chapter 312 abatements, data center sales tax exemption
- Public Utility Commission of Texas: 16 TAC §25.194 large-load interconnection rule
- City of Abilene: Aug. 25, 2025, council agenda notice; KTAB/KRBC; Development Corporation of Abilene
- U.S. Drought Monitor; Water Data for Texas; High Plains Water District 2026 water levels
- Environmental Law Institute: Data Centers and Water fact sheet
