Lake Elsinore data center moratorium extended
The Lake Elsinore City Council unanimously extended the city’s temporary data center moratorium by 10 months and 15 days, citing potential impacts on utilities, the environment, public health and quality of life. No data center is currently proposed in Lake Elsinore, but residents are opposing Global Stack USA’s concept for a small facility at the state-owned Lake Perris fairgrounds.
The Lake Elsinore City Council unanimously extended its temporary data center moratorium by 10 months and 15 days. The original 45-day pause, enacted in August, was intended to give the city time to update regulations addressing data center intensity, utility demand, environmental impacts and operating conditions.
City officials cited concerns about electricity and water consumption, air pollution, backup generators, noise and broader public health effects. Residents spoke in favor of the moratorium, while council members called for further research and continued attention from state and federal policymakers.
Although no data center is currently planned in Lake Elsinore, Global Stack USA is exploring a facility at the state-owned Lake Perris fairgrounds as part of a larger redevelopment proposal. The company says the facility would be roughly the size of a shipping container and would not use municipal water for cooling, but nearby residents want the fairgrounds board to reject the concept before it advances.