Data Center Meeting Attracts Heavy Interest In Tuolumne County
Tuolumne County is drafting an ordinance to regulate future data center development after the Board of Supervisors directed the Community Development Department to begin the work. Public comments at an open house in Sonora overwhelmingly opposed data centers, citing concerns about water and electricity use, noise and limited local benefits.
Tuolumne County officials are developing rules for potential future data center projects, following a unanimous directive from the Board of Supervisors. The county currently has no data center-specific regulations, and officials have discussed the county-owned Harvard Mine as a possible location, though no proposal exists.
About 75 to 80 residents attended an open house in downtown Sonora, where Community Development Department Director Tamera Blankenship said public comments were overwhelmingly against data center development. Residents raised concerns about demands on water and electricity, noise, environmental protection and whether such projects would provide meaningful local economic benefits. Additional public input will be sought through future hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.