Tuolumne County supervisors reject data center pause, pursue new rules

The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors recently voted against a proposed 45-day moratorium on data center development, which had been introduced by District 2 Supervisor Ryan Campbell. Campbell advocated for the pause to allow the county to establish clear regulations for large-scale data centers, citing the lack of existing rules for an industry with significant demands on electricity and water, and potential impacts from noise, backup power, and wildfire safety.

Despite the rejection of the moratorium, the board unanimously directed the county's Community Development Department to create a proposed ordinance specifically addressing data centers. This new ordinance will define data centers, determine suitable locations, and establish applicable standards. Supervisors like Mike Holland of District 1 questioned the necessity of a moratorium given no formal data center proposals were pending, arguing that existing planning processes could handle future applications and that data centers could offer economic benefits if properly managed.

Public commenters largely supported the moratorium, urging the supervisors to implement regulations proactively. County staff confirmed no data center applications are currently in review, although preliminary discussions about potential sites have occurred. Director Tamera Blankenship explained that without specific regulations, staff would have to use an