Eureka City Council Advances Plan to Restrict Data Centers, Potentially Allowing Small Facilities in Industrial Areas
The Eureka City Council is advancing new zoning rules to restrict data center development, potentially banning large facilities and requiring conditional use permits for smaller ones in industrial areas. This decision follows a temporary 45-day moratorium enacted by the council. Concerns cited include high electricity and water usage, environmental impacts, and noise pollution.
The Eureka City Council is moving forward with new zoning regulations aimed at restricting the size and placement of data centers within the city. This decision came during a recent meeting where the council directed staff to draft rules that would permit small data centers, defined as 20,000 square feet or less, exclusively in industrial zones, while potentially prohibiting larger facilities altogether. All data centers would require a conditional use permit, ensuring public review.
This initiative follows a 45-day moratorium on data center siting, which the council approved two weeks prior to allow for the development of a long-term ordinance. Development Services Director Cristin Kenyon highlighted the vast difference in scale among data centers, noting that modern AI campuses can demand hundreds to over 1,000 megawatts of electricity, significantly impacting local utility capacity. She also detailed environmental and public safety concerns, including substantial water use for cooling, noise from equipment, and air quality issues from backup fossil fuel generators.
During public comment, Humboldt Waterkeeper Executive Director Jen Kalt voiced environmental concerns, referencing instances of wastewater contamination with PFAS, heavy metals, and pathogens from data center discharges elsewhere. Council members debated the merits of an outright ban versus allowing smaller facilities, with most favoring Option 2 to permit small data centers despite concerns about job displacement by AI and power constraints. Councilmember Renee Contreras-DeLoach was the sole proponent of a complete prohibition, citing inefficient resource use and conflict with environmental goals.
While no final vote occurred, Director Kenyon will incorporate the council's feedback into a draft ordinance to be presented in the coming months. She also indicated that the current moratorium would likely need to be extended beyond its initial 45-day period.