Calaveras Data Center Moratorium Passes 4-0

The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on data center construction, with the final vote being 4-0. The temporary halt is intended to provide county staff with sufficient time to thoroughly review existing regulations and potentially develop a more permanent ordinance to govern data center developments within the county.

Calaveras Planning Director Bret Sampson highlighted the urgency of the measure, noting that current county ordinances do not adequately address data centers. Sampson cited national examples of negative impacts from data center projects, emphasizing concerns about their demands on energy, water, and heat, as well as other unknown effects. He expressed surprise that California, despite its robust environmental laws, has not yet moved to ban or heavily regulate this type of use.

During the meeting, Supervisor Amanda Folendorf, serving as Board Chair, cautioned against the moratorium unintentionally affecting other businesses reliant on cloud computing, such as local hospitals or county government operations. The board discussed potential exemptions for smaller data centers (under 5,000 square feet) or those integrated as secondary uses within existing facilities. Ultimately, the supervisors enacted a blanket moratorium covering all data center types, directing staff to further investigate how smaller data centers might be permitted as secondary uses to safeguard existing businesses. Several community members also voiced their support for the prohibition during public comment.