San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria
Mayor Gloria Signs Executive Order Directing Moratorium on Data Centers in San Diego
CITY TO DEVELOP SAFEGUARDS PROTECTING WATER, UTILITY RATEPAYERS, HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE SUPPORTING AI INNOVATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 22, 2026
CONTACT:
MayorPress@sandiego.gov
SAN DIEGO – SAN DIEGO – Mayor Todd Gloria today signed an executive order directing City staff to advance a temporary moratorium on new data center development in the City of San Diego.
The proposed moratorium will go before the City Council for consideration on Monday, October 26. If approved, the moratorium would temporarily pause data center development while the City develops comprehensive regulations to govern where and how these facilities could be built and operated, and evaluate potential impacts on water supplies, electricity demand and costs, housing opportunities, infrastructure and surrounding neighborhoods.
“San Diego is a city of innovation, and I want us to continue leading in the technologies and jobs of the future,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “But we cannot allow a rapidly expanding industry to get ahead of the rules needed to protect our residents. Data centers can place significant demands on our water supply, electricity grid and limited land, with consequences for utility bills, housing opportunities and neighborhoods. This Executive Order puts us on a path to establish clear, permanent rules so we can embrace innovation while protecting our resources and ensuring our land is used in ways that serve San Diegans.”
The Executive Order directs City departments to bring forward preliminary recommendations to the Mayor and City Council within 180 days and establishes a temporary “Data Center Stakeholder Working Group” to inform that work. The group will include representatives with expertise in technology, utilities, water, land use, housing, community advocacy and other relevant fields.
Artificial intelligence is driving rapidly increasing demand for data centers that house the computing infrastructure needed to power AI and other digital services. Depending on their size and design, these facilities can require significant amounts of electricity and water for operations and cooling, as well as substantial infrastructure to support them.
Recognizing the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and the increasing demand for data centers, the Gloria administration had already begun examining the need for local safeguards to address potential impacts on infrastructure, utility costs, housing and neighborhoods. The Executive Order formalizes that work, establishing a coordinated process to develop clear, comprehensive regulations that support responsible innovation while protecting San Diegans.
Specifically, the Mayor's Executive Order directs the City to take the following actions:
- Advance a temporary moratorium on data center development – Directs the City Planning Department to bring forward a proposed temporary moratorium on data centers for City Council consideration on Monday, October 26. If approved, the temporary moratorium would give the City time to evaluate potential impacts, engage residents and industry experts, and develop appropriate permanent regulations.
- Develop local regulations: Direct the City Planning and Development Services departments to prepare recommendations governing the location, development, construction, operation and expansion of data centers.
- Establish a stakeholder working group: Convene up to 15 members appointed by the Mayor, drawing from technical experts, community advocates, utility and water professionals, housing and land-use experts, technology leaders and other stakeholders.
- Deliver recommendations within 180 days: Require preliminary recommendations to be submitted to the Mayor and City Council within 180 days of the Executive Order taking effect.
- Pursue State and federal protections: Direct the Mayor's Government Affairs team to develop or support legislation protecting communities from the impacts of data centers, including facilities located on State or federal property outside the City's local land-use authority.
Federal policies have accelerated the development of data centers, while California has begun establishing new requirements addressing their water and electricity use, environmental impacts and utility costs. With no comprehensive state or local framework currently in place, the City is taking steps now to evaluate potential impacts and establish clear standards before large-scale development creates challenges for residents and neighborhoods.
The Mayor’s Executive Order is intended to ensure that growth occurs in a way that complements, rather than competes with, San Diego’s broader priorities for housing, infrastructure, affordability and environmental sustainability.
Find the signed Executive Order and additional information here: https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/mtg-eo-data-center-2026-2.pdf
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