Killeen Hosts Public Hearing This Afternoon For New Data Center Proposal

Data center proposals continue to be submitted in Central Texas. Killeen is the latest city to discuss this very heated issue. 

Public Debate Shifts to Killeen: Commission to Evaluate New Data Center Proposal 

A zoning discussion is set to take place in South Killeen this/Monday afternoon as local officials weigh the future of a proposed technology hub. The Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission will convene a public hearing to review a permit request for a 2.6-acre site located at 6509 S. Fort Hood St. 

Meeting Details 

• Time: Monday, April 27, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. 

• Location: Utility Collections Large Conference Room, 210 W. Avenue C 

• Purpose: Public comment and commission review of a conditional use permit. 

The Proposal 

According to KCEN, the application was submitted by Belton Engineering, Inc., acting for the property owner, 4 Lazy J Properties, LLC. If approved, the permit would allow for the construction and operation of a data center on the currently undeveloped parcel. These facilities house the massive arrays of servers required for cloud computing and artificial intelligence. 

Read More: Concerns Rise As Temple Approves Controversial Data Center Project 

Regional Tensions 

The timing of this hearing comes at a very interesting time given the political climate in the neighboring Temple. Some Temple residents recently launched a formal recall campaign against several city council members, citing frustrations over the approval of similar large-scale data center projects. This regional pushback highlights growing concerns among Central Texas residents regarding the impact these facilities have on local resources, such as the power grid and water supply. 

The Power Problem

Much of the pushback in Central Texas against data centers is the effect these facilities will have on electric bills. Various companies are approaching the issue various ways. Meta has signed an agreement with startup Overview Energy with the goal of using thousands of  satellites to beam infrared light to solar farms that will in turn power data centers at night.