San Francisco has put new data centers on hold. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Oct. 6 for a 45-day citywide moratorium on approving or expanding data centers, and because it was passed as an urgency ordinance, it took effect right away.

The pause was written by District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton and co-sponsored by Supervisors Connie Chan, Jackie Fielder and Chyanne Chen. City officials say San Francisco's rules for data centers date to 2001, long before the computing demands of today's AI industry.

What it stops

According to Mission Local, the freeze pauses a planned expansion of NOVVA, a 7.6-acre data center at 400 Paul Ave. in the Bayview that was set to grow from 9 to 36 megawatts by 2028. It also affects a proposed 160,000-square-foot facility at 1215 Michigan St. in Dogpatch, where permits have been filed but no construction has started.

Walton's district, which runs from Visitacion Valley and Bayview-Hunters Point to Potrero Hill and Dogpatch, holds two of the city's six data center sites, the San Francisco Standard reported, citing the firm Data Center Map. Walton's office has argued that Bayview already carries more than its share of air pollution, and that the facilities use large amounts of water and electricity.

"We need to know what these impacts are," Walton said when he announced the proposal. "Until we know what that is, it needs to stop."

What happens next

During the pause, the Planning Department is studying energy and water use, air quality, land use and effects on nearby neighborhoods, and writing a clearer legal definition of what counts as a data center. Planners must report back within 25 days, with a public hearing no later than 35 days after the ordinance took effect, KRON4 reported.

Under state law, the city can extend the moratorium for up to 22 months or replace it with permanent rules. Mission Local reported that people close to Walton say he hopes it leads to a permanent ban. His term ends in January 2027, so any longer fight may fall to whoever replaces him.

Part of a regional trend

San Francisco isn't alone. The Standard reported that Oakley, Richmond and Gilroy already have data center moratoriums, and Oakland recently approved its own 45-day pause. San Jose, by contrast, has chosen to draft rules rather than a ban.