Denton City Council members unanimously voted to start the legal process to begin a moratorium on the development of data centers in city limits at the Aug. 18 regular meeting.

What happened? A supermajority vote, or 75%, was needed to pass the moratorium, according to previous reporting.

“[A moratorium] is a temporary pause on accepting or processing new development applications,” said Charlie Rosendahl, Denton’s director of development services. “They can’t halt application processes that are already vested, and they would need to be limited [to] a geographic area.”

The start of the legal process means City Council must hold two public hearings with notice to gather community feedback, then council members will vote for or against 90-day moratorium against new development and permitting for data centers.

Looking ahead: Once the public hearings are held, City Council will vote on passing the moratorium as early as Dec. 2, according to Rosendahl’s presentation. If the resolution passes, all new development and permitting for data centers in Denton City limits will be halted effective immediately.

The Pony, a cocktail bar that includes a from-scratch restaurant, pottery studio and live music venue, is set to officially open at the end of August.

The details: The Pony will host a soft opening Aug. 23 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., according to the venue’s Instagram page. It will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 28 at 10:30 a.m.

The venture is a family affair, with Jessica Madsen and her husband, Owen, running the kitchen and cocktail aspect of The Pony. Co-owner Dorian Marsh, Madsen’s son, serves as the director of entertainment for the venue and will be performing Aug. 28 for the grand opening weekend. Marsh’s fiancée, Bella Tylen, is also a co-owner and will run the pottery studio inside The Pony.

Madsen said the food menu will be locally sourced and is inspired by authentic pizzas and appetizers from Rome. Some menu items include fresh olive oil tastings, prosciutto and melon bites, meatball sandwiches, pizzas like the prosciutto and stracciatella.

• 314 E. Hickory St., Ste. 121, Denton

The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board approved construction projects on Terminals A, C, D, E and F and road work near the Rental Car Center during the Aug. 6 meeting.

The projects are part of the DFW Forward capital plan, according to the airport website.

Terminal A:  A reimbursement agreement with American Airlines was approved for $6.5 million for construction of the Terminal A pier ramp space, part of the Central Terminal Area expansion. 

According to board documents, the work will include interior reconstruction for offices, ramp-level restrooms, a breakroom and renumbering the north part of Terminal as the north Skylink station.

A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows the project will encompass 51,000 square feet and has an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2028.

Terminals D and E: Vanderlande Industries, Inc., from Marietta, Georgia, will provide operations and maintenance service for Terminal E and a baggage handling control room operation for Terminal D. 

The $66.8 million has a five-year term and is set to start in October.