Apex leaders have set a public hearing date to discuss a data center moratorium.
The town is the latest to consider banning data center development. Officials say they want more time to discuss giant sites in the town.
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Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert told WRAL News he wanted to Apex residents involved in the decision process as much as possible.
“It’s a lengthy process with a relatively short timeframe,” Gilbert said. “A year is not a long time. So, we need all hands-on deck to make sure we get this right.”
Earlier this month a developer recently gave up on efforts to build a data center in the town due to community pushback.
“The town continues its deliberations over zoning ordinance changes necessary to permit data center development within the town limits,” the company wrote in an email to WRAL News.
The project would have included six 70-foot buildings and about 80 3-megawatt generators on 189 acres of Shearon Harris Road, not far from Duke Energy's Harris Nuclear Plant. As for cooling, the center would use water from treated wastewater, and the data center would draw power from Duke Energy’s power grid.
Gilbert said a year may not be long enough to get all the answers the town needs before feeling comfortable moving forward with development.
The town council will meet to discuss the idea on Tuesday, April 14, at 6 p.m. at the Apex Town Hall. Residents can attend in person or watch through the Town's YouTube livestream.
