San Marcos becomes first city in Texas to prohibit data centers
San Marcos, Texas, became the first city in the state to enact a ban on data centers within its city limits by updating its Land Development Code and Design Manual. The decision followed a denied proposal and significant community advocacy. Separately, Hays County commissioners passed a symbolic resolution to pause data center development due to water scarcity.
San Marcos, Texas, has become one of the first cities in the state to prohibit data centers within its municipal boundaries. During a June 16 meeting, the San Marcos City Council voted 4-3 to amend its Land Development Code and Design Manual, effectively banning future data center construction. Councilmembers Joshua Paselk, Matthew Mendoza, and Mayor Jane Hughson dissented, with Hughson expressing hope for future technological improvements in data centers.
The decision followed months of public discussion and a previously denied data center proposal, with strong advocacy from community members like Zachary Tyndall of the Data Center Action Coalition. Councilmember Amanda Rodriguez, who championed the ban, stated that the amendment leaves no loopholes for developers within the city's heavy industrial zoning districts. She emphasized that the city is not obligated to allow development that residents do not want.
Separately, Hays County commissioners passed a largely symbolic resolution on June 23 to pause data center development, citing concerns over water scarcity. Rodriguez acknowledged that while the city's ban is a significant local victory, the broader issue requires action at the state level to grant counties more regulatory authority over data center development. She pointed to a nearby project, Cloudburst Data Center, located just outside city limits, as an example of data centers still requiring city resources like water, suggesting they cannot operate entirely independently of municipal infrastructure.