New Orleans City Planning Commission postpones vote on data center recommendations

The New Orleans City Planning Commission deferred a final vote on Tuesday regarding proposed limitations and standards for data centers. Commissioner Nick Poché requested the deferral, emphasizing the need for fully defined "guardrails" before establishing a legal pathway for data center development.

In January, the City Council enacted a citywide moratorium on new data centers following a proposal for a large facility in New Orleans East. The Council also directed the Planning Commission to develop permitting standards. Draft recommendations from planning staff last month suggested a potential citywide ban on data centers larger than 100,000 square feet or consuming over 20 megawatts, with smaller facilities permitted in industrial or commercially zoned areas. Assistant Planning Administrator Laura Bryan noted proposed rules would require utility regulator prereview and a minimum 500-foot buffer from residential properties.

During the meeting, several commissioners advocated for even stricter limits, including larger buffer zones around residential areas, schools, and senior facilities, and specific considerations for water usage and citywide utility consumption. Over a dozen residents protested, supporting a ban on large data centers and calling for more stringent regulations. The East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission (ENONAC) also requested a deferral, with interim president Kenya Smith highlighting a lack of community input, despite consultations with Entergy New Orleans, the Sewerage & Water Board, and city departments.