Advocates worry San Jose will fast track data centers

San Jose is moving forward with creating uniform standards for data centers, despite community concerns about potential health and environmental impacts. At a recent Rules and Open Government Committee meeting, Councilmembers David Cohen, Rosemary Kamei, Bien Doan, Domingo Candelas, and Vice Mayor Pam Foley unanimously voted to direct the city manager to develop these guidelines. The proposed standards aim to mitigate environmental effects, enhance community engagement, and support sustainable infrastructure.

Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmembers Peter Ortiz, Candelas, and Cohen authored a memo stating that the goal is to create a flexible framework balancing economic growth with responsible development, not just to regulate. The City Manager’s Office is expected to present these standards to the full City Council in December.

However, advocates like Dash Leeds from the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter expressed concern that the city is rushing to develop data centers without adequate resident input. Leeds stated worries that the standards might streamline approvals without robust protections and called for a pause in development to allow the community to help write protective standards. Manuel Pineda, Deputy City Manager, noted that the city is often unaware of the specific uses for data centers, including whether they are AI-focused, which consume significantly more energy and water.

San Jose currently has approximately 20 data centers, with six more under construction and five in the entitlement review process. The city plans to host in-person community meetings before finalizing the standards. Last July, San Jose partnered with PG&E to streamline data center development, with PG&E committed to providing power and grid improvements for 12 projects by 2030, and funding six city staff positions to coordinate projects.