San Antonio has new rules for building data centers
San Antonio City Council approved rules requiring every new data center to receive case-by-case authorization before construction, rather than allowing qualifying facilities to build by right. The rules restrict data centers to commercial or industrial zones and give residents and council members an opportunity to address concerns about noise, water, energy use, lighting and neighborhood impacts.
The San Antonio City Council voted 9-2 to require all proposed data centers to obtain a specific use authorization from the council before construction. The new framework limits eligible facilities to commercial and industrial zones and allows officials to review issues including setbacks, noise, lighting, water consumption, energy use and proximity to homes and UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The decision followed months of work by the city’s Development Services Department and competing proposals from Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and the Zoning Commission. Residents and activists protested outside City Hall and cited pollution, property-value and public-health concerns, while developers and construction workers argued that data centers provide infrastructure, jobs and tax revenue. Stream Data Centers founder Anthony Bolner supported the Zoning Commission’s more permissive proposal, which the council rejected.