Arcata’s petite data center only the first
The Arcata City Council is considering a temporary moratorium on new data center applications due to concerns over energy and water use, noise, and visual impacts. This comes after the city's existing small data center, operated by EdgeConneX, was cited as an example of a problematic approval process during discussions for the Gateway Area Plan. Council members expressed support for exploring a moratorium to balance potential benefits against negative impacts of future facilities.
Arcata's City Council is deliberating a potential moratorium on new data center applications, prompted by the growing trend of large data center developments and concerns over their environmental and community impacts. The city currently hosts a relatively small EdgeConneX data center at 11th and M streets, which has operated since 2020 and is part of the Inyo Network's "Digital 299 Project" to enhance high-speed internet in Northern California. This existing facility, though small at 0.5 megawatts, has drawn criticism in the past, particularly regarding its "menacing prison camp vibe" fence, which was later replaced.
During its August 19 meeting, the City Council received a briefing from Building Official Joe Bishop on Arcata's data center landscape and options for managing future facilities. Bishop highlighted the significant energy consumption of hyperscale data centers, contrasting Arcata's small facility with massive projects like the 5,000 MW Stargate AI center in Abilene, Texas. He also noted the general plan allows such facilities in Industrial General zones, specifically in the northeast area once dominated by lumber mills.
City Manager Merritt Perry indicated a "demand on the city" for more data centers due to their proximity to trans-Pacific data cables landing at Humboldt Bay. He informed the council that a temporary moratorium would require a four-fifths majority vote to halt application processing while the city reconsiders its policy. Councilmembers Sarah Schaefer and Stacy Atkins Salazar both voiced support for agendizing a moratorium soon, emphasizing the need for the city to define its stance on future data center development to prevent undesirable situations.