San Antonio Data Center Regulations Pass in 9-2 City Council Vote
San Antonio City Council voted 9-2 to adopt regulations limiting new data centers to heavy commercial and industrial districts and requiring individual council approval. The rules give officials and residents more oversight of projects amid concerns about electricity and water use, noise, and neighborhood impacts; a proposed temporary moratorium previously failed to gain support.
The San Antonio City Council approved new data center regulations in a 9-2 vote, creating a separate framework for the facilities under the city’s Unified Development Code. New data centers will be limited to heavy commercial and industrial zoning districts and will require a Specific Use Authorization, allowing the council to review each project and impose conditions.
The changes followed months of debate led in part by District 6 Councilman Ric Galvan over the concentration of facilities on the Northwest Side. Officials and residents raised concerns about electricity and water demand, noise, backup generators and proximity to homes, schools and recreational areas. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ broader proposal, which included a 1,000-foot setback and additional environmental and public-notice requirements, failed, as did an alternative proposal from District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte. A temporary moratorium considered in August also failed to win sufficient support.