Pasadena, California Development News

Planning Commission Debates Data Center Regulations Amidst Environmental and Infrastructure Concerns

The Planning Commission held a study session on data centers, exploring potential definitions, regulations, and impacts. Staff presented information on local, state, and national legislative developments, including bans in Monterey Park and moratoriums in other cities, as well as proposed federal legislation. The discussion highlighted significant concerns regarding water and electricity usage, fire risk, noise pollution, and the limited economic benefits compared to the substantial environmental and infrastructural impacts. Commissioners expressed a strong preference for prohibiting or severely restricting standalone data centers, particularly those with high water and energy demands, while showing some openness to ancillary data centers supporting existing institutions like Caltech or Huntington Hospital, provided stringent environmental and usage standards are met. The commission directed staff to gather more data, including comparative usage from other institutions and detailed economic analyses, before further consideration.