Humboldt Supervisors Approve 45-Day Ban on New Data Centers in Unincorporated Areas of the County, With Some Exceptions for Small, Closed-Loop Facilities
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to impose an immediate 45-day moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated areas. The pause will allow county staff to develop zoning and regulatory standards, with an exemption for facilities using no more than 15 megawatts of renewable power and operating with closed-loop water systems.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved an immediate 45-day moratorium on new data center development in unincorporated parts of the county. The measure, approved 4-1 with First District Supervisor Rex Bohn opposed, is intended to give county staff time to draft zoning and regulatory standards before applications are submitted. The moratorium can be extended for up to two years.
Supervisors cited community opposition, uncertainty over the county’s electrical capacity, potential impacts on water resources and the lack of data center-specific criteria in the existing zoning code. Supervisors Michelle Bushnell and Rex Bohn argued the moratorium was unnecessary, while Chair Mike Wilson and Supervisors Natalie Arroyo and Steve Madrone supported a temporary pause. The final measure exempts proposed facilities that use no more than 15 megawatts, rely entirely on renewable energy and operate with closed-loop systems that do not affect water resources.