The Facts

San Francisco has paused approvals for new and expanded data centers for 45 days. Mayor Daniel Lurie signed the moratorium on October 16, reports Omar Rashad at The San Francisco Standard.

Supervisor Shamann Walton’s ordinance passed unanimously on October 6. The final ordinance exempts ordinary accessory server rooms and maintenance that does not increase capacity; it does not order existing facilities to close.

The Context

Data centers house the computers that store and process our emails, websites, and other digital services. As our earlier coverage explained, they power modern life.

San Francisco already regulates them. The City Attorney’s legislative digest explains that rules adopted in 2001 require special Planning Commission permission citywide, with review of energy consumption and noise. The moratorium freezes approvals while officials consider replacement rules; an extension would require further action.

The GrowSF Take

Walton, Lurie, and all 11 supervisors chose a blanket pause despite existing authority to scrutinize individual facilities. Updating old rules is reasonable. Treating essential internet infrastructure as something to freeze first and understand later is backward.

With the sudden prominence of data centers as an electoral issue, we expect this issue to mostly disappear after the November 3rd midterms.