San Francisco becomes the first Bay Area county to pass moratorium on temporary data centers
San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an immediate 45-day moratorium on permits for new data centers and expansions of existing facilities. The pause will allow the city to study energy, water, air-quality, land-use and community impacts and develop longer-term regulations.
San Francisco became the first Bay Area county to enact a temporary moratorium on new data centers after the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a 45-day urgency ordinance. The measure immediately halted approval of permit applications for new facilities and expansions, while exempting server rooms used solely for a business’s onsite operations.
District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton proposed the moratorium in response to concerns about data centers’ electricity and water consumption, noise, potential water contamination and effects on nearby communities. Walton said the city would use the pause to clarify its definition of data centers, assess environmental and land-use impacts, improve community input and draft longer-term protections. Supervisor Matt Dorsey introduced clarifying amendments, while residents and other commenters spoke in support of the measure.