A big piece of land in Trinity could be headed for industrial use, and the people who live next to it aren't happy about it. Owners of nearly 184 acres in the Morgan County town are asking for general and heavy industrial zoning on two tracts between Steed Road and Old Trinity Road, WAFF 48 reported.
The Trinity Town Council will hold a public hearing on the request Monday, Oct. 26, at 5:30 p.m. WAFF reports council members could approve, deny or table it.
For contractors in the Decatur and Huntsville area, the case is worth watching. Industrial rezonings on large tracts are often the first step toward the kind of sitework, utility and building jobs that keep crews busy for years. But this one comes with an open question about what would actually be built.
What the owners say
Landowner John Eyster told WAFF the owners revised their proposal after hearing from residents. They moved the proposed heavy industrial area farther from homes and added a 50-foot buffer. Eyster said a couple of manufacturers have recently looked at the property.
No specific development plan has been presented to the town, WAFF reported.
The data center question
WAFF found that the same 141-acre section of land is advertised online as an "exceptional site for a data center."
When the station asked whether any data center companies had shown interest, Eyster did not answer directly. Instead, he pointed to Trinity's current moratorium on data centers. He said high-voltage transmission lines make the property attractive for that kind of development.
Mayor Vaughn Goodwin told WAFF he did not know about the advertisement and has not personally talked with anyone about bringing a data center to Trinity. He said that if the zoning changes, his goal would be "some sort of light manufacturing," offering aerospace as an example. "Anything heavy is a no," Goodwin said.
What neighbors want
Residents who spoke with WAFF said their concern is that rezoning opens the door to almost anything.
"Once you rezone it, anything can come in there," resident Rodney Garrett said.
Resident Dan Reagin said he'd rather see homes on the land. "Put houses there. We don't need chemicals, or all the noise and pollution from heavy industrial," he told the station.
The bigger picture
Trinity is one of the towns that has already hit pause on data centers with a moratorium. Sites with access to big transmission lines, like this one, are exactly what developers in that industry look for, which is why the online listing caught attention.
At the same time, the mayor's comments suggest the town would welcome lighter industrial users, such as the aerospace example Goodwin gave. Which way this land goes could depend on the council's vote Monday and on whatever conditions it attaches.
What to watch
Contractors following the case should watch three things. First, the council's decision Monday night: approve, deny or table. Second, whether any approval comes with conditions limiting heavy industrial uses or tying the zoning to the revised buffer plan. Third, how long Trinity's data center moratorium stays in place, since that will shape what kinds of buyers come calling for land like this.
WAFF's report did not say when the moratorium expires or name any prospective buyer.
Why it matters for contractors
A 184-acre industrial rezoning is a big deal in a town Trinity's size. If it's approved and a user lands on the site, the first wave of work is heavy civil: clearing, grading, stormwater, roads and utility extensions. After that comes the building itself, whether that's a manufacturing plant, a warehouse or, if the moratorium ever lifts, a data center.
But nothing is guaranteed. No development plan has been filed, and neighbors are organized against the request. Builders and subs in Morgan County and the wider Huntsville-Decatur area should treat this as an early signal, not a job. If the council approves it, watch for site plans, utility agreements and economic development announcements that would show who is coming and when.