Data Center Development in San Antonio Town Hall hosted by Public Citizen, GEAA, and Ric Galvan
A San Antonio town hall examined the rapid growth of data centers, particularly in Council District 6, which officials identified as having the city’s largest concentration. Council Member Ric Galvan discussed proposed zoning changes, expanded site-plan requirements, updated data-center definitions, building and fire-code reviews, and a proposed requirement that new facilities receive specific-use authorization. Galvan also proposed a moratorium on new data centers, but the City Council did not advance it. Residents and advocates raised concerns about electricity demand, water consumption, noise, air pollution, fire safety, and the long-term impacts of existing and future facilities.
Public Citizen and the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance hosted a town hall at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio to discuss the city’s expanding data-center industry. Organizers said San Antonio already has nearly three dozen operating facilities, with many more proposed statewide and an especially high concentration in Council District 6. The event was intended to give residents information and a forum to question local officials, utilities, developers and advocates.
District 6 Council Member Ric Galvan said data centers had expanded rapidly alongside artificial-intelligence investment and that San Antonio is the state’s second-largest data-center market. He described efforts to update the city’s Unified Development Code, create a modern definition of data centers, require more comprehensive site plans, address fire and building-code issues, and move facilities out of automatic commercial zoning approvals. Galvan favored requiring specific-use authorization so each new project would receive City Council review and allow public comment.
Galvan also discussed energy and water concerns. CPS Energy is studying the costs of serving large facilities and has instituted development-related requirements, while the San Antonio Water System is expanding recycled-water infrastructure intended to reduce reliance on drinking water for cooling. Residents questioned how generators, noise, air emissions, emergency access and existing facilities would be handled under new rules. Officials said most proposed changes would apply to new development, although major expansions or operational changes at existing centers could trigger additional review.
Galvan said he had proposed a moratorium while the city developed stronger policies, but the City Council did not move forward with it. City staff and stakeholders instead developed two competing approaches: by-right permitting with specified standards, or specific-use authorization requiring public hearings and giving the council flexibility over buffers, noise, lighting, emergency planning, height and other conditions. Advocates from Public Citizen and the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance supported the second approach and urged residents to participate in zoning and City Council proceedings.