Pittsburg: City Council Approves 45-Day Moratorium On Data Centers
The Pittsburg City Council unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on new data center construction, pausing future phases of the AVAIO Perseus Data Center but allowing its first phase to continue. The action followed months of resident opposition over transparency, energy use, water demand, pollution and noise, and will give the city time to define and regulate AI data centers in its zoning code.
The Pittsburg City Council voted 4-0 for a 45-day urgency ordinance halting new data center construction and future phases of the AVAIO Perseus Data Center at the former Delta View Golf Course. The first phase, already under construction, is exempt from the moratorium. The pause can be extended for up to two years while officials consider adding a definition of AI data centers to the city’s zoning code.
Residents and local advocacy groups have opposed the project, citing inadequate public notice and concerns about electricity consumption, water use, diesel-generator pollution and noise. Mayor Dionne Adams recused herself because of her roles with the Pittsburg Power Company and PG&E, which are involved in power-supply negotiations, while Councilmember Jelani Killings defended the city’s prior public process. The project received earlier approvals and includes a 350,000-square-foot facility, generators, a power yard and an electrical substation.