San Marcos Bans New Data Centers | Texas News

San Marcos, Texas, just pulled off a historic move—becoming the first city in the state to outright ban new data centers, voting 4-3 to rewrite zoning laws and block future developments. Fueled by concerns over skyrocketing water and energy use threatening local resources, the city leveraged its home rule powers to strengthen its legal footing against potential lawsuits—a tactic counties have struggled with. While state Senator Paul Bettencourt vows to challenge the ban as unconstitutional, Texas continues to boom with data center proposals, sparking growing public concern. Governor Abbott even floated removing tax breaks for these facilities, while other cities watch closely, experimenting with zoning hurdles. San Marcos is now the epicenter of a legal and political showdown that could redefine how Texas balances tech growth with community needs. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/bed432e7b651bcbf