San Francisco Oakland San Jose, CA, September 15, 2026 —

Supervisors in San Francisco are advancing a proposal that could temporarily halt the approval of new data center developments. The initiative calls for a 45-day moratorium, intended to provide a critical window for the city’s planning committee to thoroughly examine the potential risks associated with these facilities.

The move comes as the demand for data centers surges, fueled significantly by the rapid advancements and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence technologies. Simultaneously, the city is experiencing growing public opposition to the expansion of data center infrastructure, prompting a re-evaluation of current regulations.

A key objective of the proposed moratorium is to allow the planning committee to address what are described as outdated municipal codes. These regulations have reportedly remained unchanged since 2001, failing to keep pace with the technological evolution and the expanding scale of data center operations. The review aims to update these codes to better reflect contemporary challenges and opportunities.

The potential pause on approvals is not isolated to San Francisco. Neighboring cities are also exploring similar measures. Richmond and Oakland are reportedly considering comparable moratoriums on new data center projects, indicating a regional discussion around the rapid growth of this industry.

Details regarding the specific risks to be studied by the San Francisco planning committee were not elaborated upon in the summary. The timeline for the proposed 45-day moratorium and the exact process for its implementation were also not specified. Following the review period, the outcome for future data center development approvals will depend on the findings and subsequent code revisions.



Story summarized from the original created by Steph Rodriguez on ww2.kqed.org, see more information here.

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