This California city became a model for resisting data centers
Residents of Monterey Park, California, successfully organized against a proposed data center project, citing concerns over water and electricity consumption. This led the city council to approve an ordinance banning data centers, which was then ratified by a public vote. Monterey Park has since become a model for other communities in California and across the U.S., including Missoula, Montana, and Coachella, California, which have also enacted bans or blocked projects.
Last December, residents of Monterey Park, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles, began organizing in opposition to a proposed 218,000 sq. ft. data center. Despite the city council's initial support for the project, citing $5 million in annual tax revenue, residents, including organizers Hrag Balian and Steven Kung, raised concerns about its significant water and electricity demands, equivalent to powering twice the entire city. Through public meetings and rallies, the "No Data Center Monterey Park" group successfully pressured the council, threatening to vote them out if the project proceeded.
In April, the Monterey Park City Council reversed its stance, approving an ordinance to ban data centers. This ban was subsequently put to a June ballot, where it passed with an overwhelming 88% of the vote. This local victory garnered national attention, positioning Monterey Park as a blueprint for other communities seeking to block data center developments.
Activists from across the U.S. and California have since sought advice from Monterey Park organizers. Alessandro Mitchell from Missoula Neighbors United in Montana, who was fighting a data center project at a former lumber mill, utilized their insights. In Missoula, the public's feedback led the industrial park owner to withdraw from the project. Similarly, Viva La Causa, an organization in Coachella, California, successfully advocated for a ban, with the Coachella council passing an ordinance in August. Monterey Park organizers advised focusing on ordinances rather than ballot measures due to the extensive effort required, though Viva La Causa still plans to pursue a vote to ensure the ban's permanence.