San Diego Council Passes 45-Day Data Center Moratorium

The San Diego City Council unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on the permitting, approval and development of data centers within city limits, NBC 7 San Diego reports. The council can extend the pause for nearly two years.

The vote followed a local developer's idea last week to build a data center at the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command site near Old Town, known as NAVWAR. Mayor Todd Gloria immediately signed an executive order pausing data center development until the City of San Diego writes rules. The moratorium cannot directly block a data center on the federal NAVWAR site.

"Data centers can place significant demands on our water supply, electricity grid and limited land, with consequences for utility bills, housing opportunities and neighborhoods," Gloria said. Dozens of residents spoke at the meeting, nearly all opposed to data centers in the city.

City staff have 180 days to bring preliminary recommendations, guided by a stakeholder working group covering technology, utilities, water, land use and housing. The city plans to amend its land development code next year.