All data centers built in San Antonio now must receive City Council approval on case-by-case basis
San Antonio City Council approved new restrictions requiring every data center to receive case-by-case council approval and limiting facilities to heavy industrial and commercial zones. The amendment also allows increased setbacks and prohibits development over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, while a proposed 180-day moratorium was previously rejected.
San Antonio City Council voted 9-2 to amend the Unified Development Code and impose the city’s first major restrictions on data centers. Future facilities must receive case-by-case council approval, be located in heavy industrial or commercial zones, and may face increased setbacks. The amendment also bars data center construction over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone; Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ proposed 1,000-foot minimum setback was rejected.
The decision followed sustained pressure from neighborhood and environmental advocates, including the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and Public Citizen, who said residents previously lacked a meaningful opportunity to object before facilities were built. Business representatives and electrical workers warned that stricter rules could slow development, reduce jobs, or push projects into nearby Medina County. Councilman Ric Galvan, who had sought a 180-day moratorium that was rejected in August, described the new rules as a major regulatory victory.