Brawley clearly moves to regulate data centers, dropping moratorium plan
The Brawley City Council has unanimously voted to overhaul its zoning laws to strictly regulate future large-scale data centers, opting against a temporary moratorium. This decision mandates city staff to draft comprehensive updates governing infrastructure, energy, cooling, and environmental compliance. The move aims to balance technological growth with local oversight and economic interest.
The Brawley City Council voted unanimously to abandon plans for a temporary moratorium on data center development, instead choosing to immediately overhaul its zoning laws to strictly regulate future large-scale data centers. The decision, made after a brief hearing, reflects a swift pivot from an earlier discussion to implement a controversial temporary ban.
The council passed Resolution No. 2026-29, which declares the city's current zoning rules insufficient for data center demands and mandates city staff to draft comprehensive updates. These updates will cover aspects from energy grids and substations to cooling mechanisms and backup power facilities, ensuring compliance with state and federal environmental protection laws. City Attorney William Smerdon prepared the resolution, and Finance Director Silvia Luna approved the measure for consideration. The resolution also gives City Manager Rebecca Terrazas-Baxter the green light to hire specialized consultants to assist with drafting the technical zoning language. The council believes this approach will ensure transparency and strict environmental compliance without stalling economic interest in the Imperial Valley region, which developers are increasingly viewing as a prime location for tech infrastructure.