Overview
- The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to extend a moratorium on approvals for new data centers until Oct. 5, 2027 so staff have time to write new rules.
- Council direction requires Planning and Building staff to consult PG&E, East Bay Municipal Utility District, the Bay Area Air District and Ava Community Energy and to hire an outside consultant.
- City staff will launch a project website by year-end, run public outreach, and bring draft definitions and development standards to the Planning Commission and City Council for review.
- Pending proposals, including a planned data center conversion inside a downtown office building, are paused while the rulemaking proceeds and enforcement language is drafted.
- West Oakland residents and groups such as Care 4 Community Action oppose data centers over water, power, air quality and noise concerns, and Oakland’s action follows similar Bay Area moratoriums as cities weigh capacity and equity impacts.