Indio Extends Data Center Moratorium Through 2027
The Indio City Council unanimously extended the citywide moratorium on new data center applications through October 16, 2027. The extension gives staff more time to develop permanent planning and zoning rules addressing data center water use, electricity demand, emissions, noise and air quality.
The Indio City Council unanimously extended its moratorium on new data center applications through Oct. 16, 2027. The ban covers the establishment, expansion or intensification of data centers and other high-intensity computing uses, and follows an initial 45-day moratorium approved in June and a 90-day extension adopted in July.
City staff will use the additional time to prepare amendments to Indio's general plan, development code, zoning regulations and development standards. Officials cited concerns about water consumption, electrical demand, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and air quality; the city said no active data center applications were pending as of its June statement.
The article also notes opposition elsewhere in the region. Coachella residents protested a proposed Stronghold Power Systems technology campus, while a petition with more than 9,000 signatures sought a moratorium on data center approvals in unincorporated Riverside County. Any countywide ban would require action by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.