San Antonio City Council looks to regulate data centers
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Photo Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Photo: Courtesy of the City of San Antonio
The San Antonio City Council appears poised to restrict data center development this fall, but could stop short of a temporary ban as sought by some councilmembers.
Why it matters: Voter pushback against data centers has swelled in recent months. The issue is now garnering bipartisan political blowback — including in Texas — that's set to roil the November midterms.
What they're saying: "I think it's perfectly reasonable to consider a moratorium on an industry with such interest from the public and from policymakers," District 6 Councilmember Ric Galvan, who has led a push to regulate data centers, said at a Tuesday meeting.
- Galvan said he supports city code amendments to restrict where data centers can be built in addition to a temporary ban. His district includes the Far West Side, where most of the data centers in the city are located.
The other side: "If we were to place a moratorium, we'd be driving these jobs, these big important jobs, out of our city," said District 7 Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito.
- She said the concerns she hears from unions representing workers in the electric field are different from the worries that residents have broadly. "No one wants a data center in their backyard — I get that too," she said.
State of play: City staff told councilmembers that they recommend regulating data centers but not banning them, saying the council could pass permanent regulations quickly but that a ban would take longer to implement and be temporary.
- A majority of councilmembers said they support moving forward with regulations that would restrict data centers to certain commercial and industrial parts of San Antonio, and keep them a minimum distance away from homes, schools and day care centers.
- The rules could also keep data centers from being built over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, an area that's vital to preserving San Antonio's drinking water.
Zoom in: The council is split on a moratorium, with a few members saying they want more information before deciding.
- A moratorium could last 90-180 days and couldn't be enacted until late December or early January at the earliest, following specific requirements set by the state, said Amin Tohmaz, director of the city's Development Services Department.
By the numbers: There are at least 23 data centers currently operating within the city limits, per Tohmaz.
- There are as many as 86 in the metro area.
Zoom out: Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this month halted approvals for new data centers until Texas can audit the ones looking to connect to the electric grid. That process could be completed by December.
- Data center regulation is expected to be a top priority for state lawmakers when they reconvene in January.
What's next: The council could adopt data center regulations as soon as mid-October.