Alhambra Voters to Decide on Citywide Data Center Ban
Alhambra City Council has unanimously voted to place a ballot measure on the November ballot that would ban data centers citywide. If passed, Alhambra would be the second city in California to enact such a ban through a public vote. Local citizen groups have been actively organizing to oppose data center development in the San Gabriel Valley.
The Alhambra City Council has unanimously voted to place a measure on the November ballot, allowing local voters to decide on a citywide ban on data centers. If approved, Alhambra would become the second city in California to pass such a prohibition by public vote, following Monterey Park's ban in June.
The proposed measure aims to expand an existing prohibition on data centers in the city's office and industrial zones, effectively banning them throughout Alhambra. Andrew Yip, an organizer with SGV Progressive Action, emphasized the importance of clear ballot language to ensure voters understand they are supporting a ban.
Citizen groups, including No Data Centers San Gabriel Valley and No Data Center in Monterey Park, have been actively organizing opposition to data center construction and related infrastructure like battery energy storage systems. Their efforts have seen some success, with a proposed data center in Monterey Park being withdrawn in March and a storage system in Covina voted down in June. Alhambra voters will make their decision on November 3rd, with a simple majority required for the ban to pass.