Data center restrictions tracker · California

Santa Clara, California: data center zoning exclusion (2024)

Data snapshot 2026-08-15 · part of Pricing the Fear of Data Centers

Santa Clara, in Santa Clara County, California, adopted a data-center zoning exclusion on March 6, 2024. Its status in this snapshot is enacted.

The record reads: "Santa Clara Planning Commission denied a 72MW data center permit at 2805 Bowers Ave (3-2 in favor; failed the required 4-vote majority, so the permit was denied). Chair noted the city has 50+ data centers consuming 60% of its energy and… (datacentertracker.org)."

Details

ActionClassStatusDateMW thresholdScopeSource
Zoning exclusionrestrictionenactedMarch 6, 2024not county-widedatacentertracker.org

Jurisdiction type: municipality. County: Santa Clara County. Dataset: datacentertracker. Snapshot August 15, 2026; documented actions, not a census.

Elsewhere in Santa Clara County

California context

California has 19 documented local actions across 17 jurisdictions in this snapshot. There is no statewide restriction, incentive rollback, or large-load tariff on record for California in this snapshot.

A town that says no to a data center gives up local tax revenue, not jobs: one large campus pays $2M to $90M a year depending on the tax regime, against roughly 50 permanent jobs. The parent piece prices it and lists the conditions that beat a ban.

Sources

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