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This type of behavior, among other things, is exactly why more people are becoming increasingly negative toward data center development projects.
Back in 1999, 87 acres of land in Taylor, Texas, was donated (nominal fee $10) to the city by a farmer, with a condition in the deed that it would be used for community parkland. In 2025, the land was sold for $10M to a data center developer, who has won several legal battles against the nearby residents who are trying to stop the massive construction project, reports 404 Media. Now, the disgruntled locals are planning to take their case to an appeals court.
If the deed has such a provision for use, this would seem an open and shut case. What the officials do here will tell the locals what their (the politicos) priorities are. Even in Texas, that could rub folks the wrong way. I'm getting some popcorn, maybe barbecue flavored.
The farmer did not donate the land to the city of Taylor, he donated it to a foundation, which then gave it to another foundation, and then the second foundation gave the land to the city. Tom's is posting clickbait by saying "A solemn Texas deed ignored for profit". The farmer should have gotten better legal advice before donating the land. As I've been taught, just as with engineers, there is a vast difference in competence between the best attorneys and the ones who can just pass the bar exams. The Tom's author, on the other hand, is lucky he doesn't work for me.
The farmer did not donate the land to the city of Taylor, he donated it to a foundation, which then gave it to another foundation, and then the second foundation gave the land to the city. Tom's is posting clickbait by saying "A solemn Texas deed ignored for profit". The farmer should have gotten better legal advice before donating the land. As I've been taught, just as with engineers, there is a vast difference in competence between the best attorneys and the ones who can just pass the bar exams. The Tom's author, on the other hand, is lucky he doesn't work for me.
I'm thinking that any government agency should follow both the letter and the spirit of the law, as well as honor its contracts and agreements with the people. If a powerful government keeps finding ways around the law or tries to ignore the trust it has established with its citizens, we will see serious problems everywhere. Without trust, society cannot function.
And I don't blame the victims, those who were misled or cheated by the government.
Hopefully, the new legislation proposed by Governor Abbott will begin to bring about the changes that are needed.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday released sweeping regulatory recommendations on data centers for the Legislature to pass in the 2027 session, as Texas grapples with an explosion of artificial intelligence-driven development and soaring power demands.
In a letter to state regulators, Abbott outlined a series of proposals designed to ensure data centers shoulder the costs of their growth rather than Texas ratepayers.
Among his legislative priorities:
- requiring new facilities to add power generation to the state’s power grid
- requiring data centers pay for their own grid interconnection...
www.tomshardware.com
