Lumberton: Council approves data center rules after opposition

In Lumberton, the city council approved rules for a possible data center on Monday, Nov. 9, The Robesonian and WPDE reported. Both say the vote does not approve construction of a center.

The City of Lumberton calendar lists a council meeting that day at 11:00 a.m. The calendar entry does not say how the council voted. A search of the city's agenda center the same day, for "data center" and for November ordinances, did not return an ordinance file. The account below is what the two newsrooms published from the meeting.

What the council did

The Robesonian reported a unanimous roll-call vote to regulate future data center development. WPDE reported that the council approved the regulations. WPDE's story, as opened for this file, does not say the vote was unanimous.

The Robesonian described the motion path. Councilman Owen Thomas moved to approve and Councilman Leroy Rising seconded. Councilman John Cantey offered a substitute that would add a committee of residents, so concerns could be heard and further safeguards could be added later. Councilman Eric Chavis seconded that substitute. Thomas then folded the committee into his motion, and the combined motion passed. Chavis, who represents Precinct 7, had earlier moved to deny the ordinance and said people in his precinct were not satisfied. That denial motion died without a second, The Robesonian reported. WPDE also reported Cantey's request for a resident committee.

Both outlets say the rules confine a data center to the Southeast Crossroads Industrial Park, near where Interstate 74 meets Interstate 95.

Deputy City Manager Brandon Love, in both stories, said current land-use rules did not cover data centers. He said a proposal in an M-1 or M-2 manufacturing district could otherwise have gone ahead without extra setbacks, landscaping, buffering, or decibel limits. The Robesonian quoted him saying staff had talked with industry professionals and with ElectriCities.

The numbers do not all match

The Robesonian, citing city staff, reported a possible small center on 10 to 50 acres, power demand of up to 50 megawatts, a capital investment of $550 million to $750 million, $4 million to $5 million in city revenue from electrical use plus tax revenue, and about 10 to 20 full-time jobs. That story said staff have received inquiries, that none is under development, and that no incentives have been offered. Rising estimated water use at 50,000 gallons a day and said that is far below some other industrial users in the county.

WPDE's figures differ. That story said a center could start near 20 megawatts and grow toward 50, use about 52,000 gallons of water a day, and start with about 20 jobs, possibly rising to 40. It said about 100 acres remain at the park, enough for one small center, and that a nearby substation could handle the load. It also said the ordinance does not set a numeric water cap or a zoning maximum on electricity, that developers would have to disclose projected water and power use, identify cooling systems, and submit annual water reports, and that routine noise would generally be held to 65 decibels at lines next to homes or residential zoning. WPDE said three companies have expressed interest, no company has been selected, city officials have not signed nondisclosure agreements, and the city is not offering incentives. Cantey told WPDE the $4 million to $5 million city figure would be a benefit if the projections are verified, and that the county might see about as much.

This page is not averaging those figures or picking one set.

Opposition in the room

The Robesonian reported that 11 residents spoke and nine opposed the proposal. Concerns in that story included water and electrical use, noise, environmental effects, and what a center would mean for later generations. WPDE reported that dozens of people filled the chambers and asked the council to wait for clearer answers on health, water, power costs, and the effect on taxpayers.

Both reported that the meeting turned tense. The Robesonian said law enforcement removed three people who spoke outside the public-comment period. WPDE said at least three people were asked to leave, including an 88-year-old woman.

The Robesonian also reported that the council, in related actions, amended the industrial park overlay, annexed a parcel on Emery Road inside the park, and rezoned that parcel to M-2 heavy manufacturing. WPDE's story, as opened here, does not include those three companion votes.

Other Robeson County reporting is on the county page. The unofficial Nov. 3 commissioner returns are in a separate file.

Triangle Local is not the city and not an emergency service. Call 911 if someone is in danger.

What is still open

The ordinance text is not in hand. Whether the vote was unanimous is The Robesonian's account until minutes or a second source say so. Water use, power demand, and job counts are not the same in the two stories. No story opened here says a company has been hired to build a center.

Photos

Text-only. No meeting or outlet photographs are used here.