Supervisors reject proposal to give voters say over AI data centers
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors rejected a proposed ordinance that would have required voter approval for future AI data center developments in unincorporated areas. Supervisors cited the rapidly evolving technology and lack of immediate threat as reasons for the decision. Proponents raised concerns about massive electricity and water consumption, land use impacts, and the importance of public involvement.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rejected a proposed ordinance that would have allowed voters to have a say in the development of future artificial intelligence (AI) data centers within the county's unincorporated areas. Board Chair Monica Martinez, along with Supervisors Manu Koenig and Kim De Serpa, voted against the measure, expressing that it was too early to make sweeping decisions on rapidly evolving technology.
Supervisor Justin Cummings, who introduced the proposal, aimed to direct county staff to draft an ordinance and ballot measure for the March 2028 election. This measure would have required majority voter approval before General Plan amendments could allow the zoning, permitting, construction, or operation of AI data centers. Cummings voiced significant concerns about the immense electricity and water demands of these facilities, citing a World Resources Institute report that a modern AI data center could consume as much electricity as 100,000 homes and large facilities up to 5 million gallons of water daily. He also highlighted potential issues with truck traffic, noise, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and large land footprints that could conflict with the county's agricultural, open-space, and rural residential areas.
Cummings referenced data center developments in other communities, such as Amazon's project in Canton, Mississippi, and Meta's facility in Stanton Springs, Georgia, to illustrate the need for greater public involvement, stating that residents are often unaware of projects until it is too late. While acknowledging no AI data centers are currently proposed in Santa Cruz County, Cummings emphasized the measure's goal to empower residents with control over future land-use decisions, contrasting it with other California jurisdictions like Monterey Park, which banned data centers, and Mendocino County, which imposed a temporary moratorium.
However, Supervisor Koenig downplayed the risk of large data centers in Santa Cruz County due to high land and construction costs, suggesting that smaller