City Pauses Data Centers But Exempts Approved Project In East Bay

BAY AREA, CA — Pittsburg City Council approved a 45-day moratorium on new or expanded data centers Monday but exempted an approved project on a former golf course, drawing objections from residents who want no data centers in the city.

The council held the Monday special meeting after requesting the ordinance Oct. 19. The measure temporarily halts the city’s acceptance, processing, and approval of applications, permits, and entitlements for new or expanded data centers.

The ordinance does not stop, delay, or change the approved first phase of the AVAIO Data Center Project at 2242 Golf Club Road.

That phase has completed project-level environmental review and design review.

The moratorium applies to future data centers elsewhere in Pittsburg and to Phases II and III of the AVAIO project.

City staff described the pause as time to consider permanent data center regulations, engage residents, and align local standards with new state data center laws taking effect Jan. 1, 2027.

The urgency ordinance goes into effect immediately and lasts 45 days.

The city cannot initially adopt a 90-day moratorium under that procedure, staff explained.

Councilmembers can extend the ordinance twice, with each extension requiring a four-fifths vote: first for up to 10 months and 15 days, then for up to one more year.

Together with the initial 45 days, the extensions could keep the moratorium in place for a maximum of two years.

Staff said they would return within the initial 45-day period with a required written report for council consideration of an extension at a noticed public hearing.

The exempted project occupies part of the former Delta View Golf Course along West Leland Road. The Pittsburg Technology Park’s first phase includes the AVAIO Perseus Data Center, which councilmembers approved in November 2024, according to previous Patch reporting.

The technology park’s three-phase plan covers roughly 76 acres. City officials have promoted the development as a source of technology investment, jobs, and tax revenue.

Residents and environmental advocates have questioned its electricity consumption, water demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and effects on nearby habitat.

The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s environmental review and approval process, arguing that officials failed to adequately address the project’s environmental impacts, as Patch previously reported.

Residents’ questions prompted earlier meetings and additional public outreach.

The city scheduled a July 30 virtual workshop after residents raised concerns about water, electricity, noise, and neighborhood impacts. More than 200 people attended and submitted over 300 questions before and during the meeting, City Manager Darin Gale said.

Gale announced an Advisory Committee on Data Center Development during an Aug. 3 council study session. The city assigned the committee to review research, discuss development, and advise Gale on policies governing potential future data centers.

Pittsburg joins Hayward, San Francisco, and Oakland in adopting moratoriums to pause data center development.

Oakland’s proposal passed a City Council committee in September, advancing a proposed 45-day moratorium to the full council. The debate followed plans to convert a former downtown supercomputing facility into a 20,000-square-foot artificial intelligence data center.

Residents questioned its environmental effects and transparency, while supporters cited potential jobs and economic growth.

Elsewhere in Contra Costa County, Brentwood Councilmembers Faye Maloney and Jovita Mendoza requested consideration of a ban on new data centers in June. Oakley had already adopted a temporary moratorium while evaluating longer-term regulations.

Public scrutiny has also targeted confidential negotiations between developers and government officials.

Amazon announced it would stop using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies concerning data center projects and pledged annual reporting on energy consumption, water use, efficiency, and carbon-free energy. The company did not say whether it had terminated existing agreements.

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