89th Interim Session to Decide Rockwall County Authority Over Data Centers

David Billings argued in a March 2, 2026 op-ed published on a Rockwall Times page dated March 3, 2026 that “If a large data center were proposed in unincorporated Rockwall County, the county’s role would likely focus on subdivision standards, infrastructure coordination, and incentive policy, not broad development bans or informal moratoriums.” Billings framed the question as immediate for Rockwall, a fast-growing county, and warned that cities inside the county would retain greater zoning authority.

That argument lands as the Texas Legislature’s 89th interim session opens a broader debate. Billings noted Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick issued his first round of interim charges and directed the Senate Finance Committee to explore further property tax relief, while House leadership under Speaker Dustin Burrows had not yet released interim charges at the time of the op-ed. Billings framed data centers as “rapidly becoming a statewide policy issue,” raising the stakes for local decision making across Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs and smaller counties alike.

Nearby county responses illustrate the legal and political friction. In Hood County, County Judge Ruben Becerra proposed a 30-day moratorium on approvals for water-hungry developments including data centers; commissioners postponed the proposed moratorium on a Tuesday and ultimately did not adopt it. Becerra told county hearings, “I have always been a pro-business county judge, but this is something that is not necessarily pro business,” and warned, “We are in a moment of crisis.” Commissioners also called on Gov. Greg Abbott to give them more authority even as the legal question about county moratorium power remained unresolved.

Hays County and the City of San Marcos show a different mix of tools and tactics. Hays officials pushed for greater regulatory authority and called for a special session on data center regulation, while the City of San Marcos used municipal zoning to block a proposed data center after public opposition. On Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, advocacy groups and community members protested at the Texas Capitol, urging either county authority to regulate data centers or a statewide pause until protections are enacted. Hays County Precinct 3 Commissioner Morgan Hammer said, “We want to be able to say no (to data centers). My biggest thing is I hate telling people there is nothing I can do about it,” and added, “Creating good policy with teeth, that’s exactly what we need. And we need our state Legislature to step up and do that for us.”

The legal debate centers on statutory limits and potential legislative fixes. State Rep. Shelby Slawson urged that county authority be evaluated under Local Government Code Chapter 231 Subchapter K and warned a moratorium could exceed delegated authority if the statute is not sufficiently broad. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt and State Rep. Jared Patterson have emphasized strict constitutional limits on county action, while State Rep. Wes Virdell suggested the Legislature could clarify delegation in a future session. Policy group Texas Policy Research urged support for HB 2559 in the 2025 session, saying it “strengthened transparency and accountability when municipalities impose moratoriums on private property development.”

For Rockwall County the near-term picture is concrete: Billings’ local analysis lists subdivision rules, infrastructure coordination and incentive policy as the county’s likely levers, while municipal zoning would remain the primary tool to accept or block a proposed center. As the 89th interim session moves forward, lawmakers will decide whether to expand county discretion, tighten statewide limits, or leave the status quo in place — a choice that will shape how Rockwall plans roads, water, power and tax incentives for the next phase of growth.