Eureka council supports restrictions on data centers as city begins drafting long‑term rules
Eureka officials are drafting long-term rules for data centers, aiming to restrict them to industrial zones and potentially limit their size due to concerns over electricity and water capacity. This initiative follows a temporary moratorium on new data center projects enacted in August.
Eureka officials have initiated the process of developing long-term regulations for data centers, following a temporary moratorium unanimously adopted in August. Development Services Director Cristen Kenyon highlighted the need for a standalone zoning definition for data centers, as they do not fit existing land use categories and possess unique impacts. The proposed framework aims to allow only small facilities under strict conditions, primarily in industrial zones.
The city's concerns center on the significant demands data centers place on limited electrical and water infrastructure. Kenyon noted that the industry's definition of "small" facilities, potentially drawing 50 to 100 megawatts, far exceeds Eureka's capacity, with one of its substations already at its limit according to PG&E. Other issues discussed include aesthetic impacts on tourism, noise pollution from cooling and power equipment, and public safety risks associated with large concentrations of electrical components and batteries.
Councilmember Katie Moulton inquired about existing rules for extraordinary utility users, but City Manager Miles Slattery confirmed that while past industrial cases were handled individually, no broad standards address the continuous load a data center would bring. The new regulations aim to provide the city with a means to assess projects thoroughly or even prohibit them, ensuring that any future data centers meet specific standards without negatively impacting the community or existing infrastructure.