San Diego's City Council has unanimously approved a temporary prohibition on new data center projects, following a directive from Mayor Todd Gloria last week.
The action stems from an executive order the mayor signed on October 22, which instructed the Planning Department to draft the moratorium for council consideration. Gloria defended the move as a balanced approach that welcomes economic growth while safeguarding residents from potential negative consequences.
According to the mayor, data centers require substantial amounts of electricity, water, land, and supporting infrastructure. The temporary freeze is designed to prevent development from advancing faster than the city's ability to evaluate whether residents would face increased costs or neighborhood disruptions.
During the pause, the Planning Department will convene a stakeholder working group that includes technology specialists, community representatives, utility providers, water management professionals, and housing experts. This group has been tasked with developing comprehensive rules to govern where data centers can be built and how they should operate.
City agencies have been given a 180-day deadline to deliver initial policy recommendations to the mayor and council members.