Less Impact, More Benefits:
A Proposed Data Center for San Marcos
Point of Interest #2
City Data Center
Highlander is seeking to rezone the property from high density single family residential (CD 2.5) to light industrial. The company plans to build a LEED CERTIFIED data center on the site. The data center will use 50% less water than the current CD 2.5 zoning. The data center will have improved water quality standard relative to City code. The County does not require water quality. Stormwater management and detention will exceed City code. Impact to City services will be significantly less than CD 2.5. The $10MM in annual tax receipts far exceeds the tax revenues of CD 2.5 development. A data center located in the County across the street will produce no tax revenue for the city and will have no environmental regulations.
- -50% water consumption vs residential
- Enhanced water quality
- Enhanced stormwater management
- Reduced impact on city services
- +$10M increase in tax revenue generated annually for the city and school district
Point of Interest #3
Highlander Residential Site
Highlander is already zoned and approved for over 500 homes on this site. Water for all of these homes has been contracted for with Crystal Clear SUD.
- Residential use is not ideal when located next to heavy industrial zoning or a large power plant.
Point of Interest #4
County Data Center
The County does not have any of the zoning, permitting or environmental requirements of the City. A data center located in the County does not have to comply with impervious cover restrictions, tree ordinances, water quality, light ordinances or noise ordinances. And they don't pay any City taxes. ERCOT will only approve one of the data centers currently in the queue - the choice is whether it will be a County data center with no regulations and no taxes paid, or a City data center with all of the regulations and the taxes.
- -$8M annually in tax revenue
- Would fall under the county jurisdiction rather than the city
Located Directly Adjacent to
Heavy Industrial Zoning
Data Center
Residential
50% Less Water Use Than 500+ Homes A More Sustainable Alternative to High-Density Single Family Residential
Enhanced Water Quality* Cleaner Runoff, Less Impact on Local Waterways
Enhanced Stormwater Management* Reducing Flood Risk, Protecting York Creek
Reduced Impact On City Services Compared To 500+ New Homes Less Traffic, Fewer Police and Fire Calls
$10M+ Annual Tax Revenue Providing Much-Needed Funds to Support City and School District Budgets