Mayor previews data center rule proposals, $442M bond package distribution ahead of council meeting
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones previewed proposed rules for data centers ahead of a City Council discussion. The proposals could require case-by-case council review, larger setbacks, noise controls, air-quality protections, backup-generator restrictions and greater transparency about utility use and community benefits.
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said the City Council would consider multiple approaches to regulating data centers, including a by-right framework and a special-use process requiring review of each proposed facility. Jones said she favors preserving the council’s discretion and adding clear standards for setbacks, noise, pollution, air-quality monitoring, backup generators and disclosures about electricity and water use.
Jones cited concerns about data centers being located near homes and public facilities, including a facility in the county that she said was roughly 600 feet from a playground. She said San Antonio’s publicly owned power and water utilities, available land and relatively low costs make the city attractive to data center developers, but argued that the city should demand stronger protections and potential public benefits before approving future projects. The council was expected to discuss the proposals Thursday, with no specific company or facility identified in the interview.