Desert Cities Pushing Back Against Data Centers: Coachella To Ban Any Construction

COACHELLA, CA — One Coachella Valley city will permanently ban the construction of data centers this month, the Coachella City Council says. During its Wednesday meeting, the council unanimously approved an ordinance to permanently ban data centers in the city. The ordinance's second reading is scheduled later this month.

City Council will reconvene on Aug. 26 for a final vote on the matter, which shall take effect 30 days after Council approval.

The decision to ban data centers follows months of backlash from community members throughout the Coachella Valley. In an effort to avoid loopholes in the future, the city is making strides at defining its intentions, according to Cecilia Lemus.

"We are trying as best we can to apply pressure to make sure that there are modifications to the ordinance, to make sure that it's strong to avoid any future loopholes," she said.

The ordinance defines a data center as a structure or site used to house computers or other components for the storage, processing, and transmission of digital data.

Additionally, it defines a data center as a storage facility, small data-storage facilities, server farms, artificial intelligence training or processing, image processing, cloud computing, email servicing, and other similar uses.

Exemptions under the ordinance would include "accessory server rooms, data processing equipment or information technology facilities that are incidental, subordinate and specifically related to a permitted principal use."

In all, over 9,000 residents have pushed back, signing petitions against any and all data center projects.

The city has a temporary moratorium in place for data center developments until June 3, 2027.