Coachella City Council Set to Vote on Temporary Data Center Moratorium

The Coachella City Council is expected to take a major step tonight in the ongoing debate over data center development, as city leaders prepare to vote on a temporary moratorium during a special meeting.

The proposed urgency ordinance would immediately implement a 45-day pause on all data center applications within the city, including the proposal from Stronghold Power Systems.

The controversial project has sparked weeks of public debate and drew hundreds of residents to recent council meetings. The proposal includes six data centers spread across more than 400 acres on the eastern side of the city, making it one of the largest proposed facilities of its kind in the state.

If approved, the moratorium would take effect immediately. During the 45-day period, city staff would study potential impacts associated with data centers, including concerns about environmental effects and strain on local resources.

Under the proposed timeline, city officials would provide a progress report around day 35 of the moratorium. By day 45, the temporary ordinance would expire unless council members choose to extend it for up to a year while long-term policies are developed.

City leaders are also exploring permanent solutions, including zoning restrictions that could prohibit data centers in certain areas of Coachella altogether.

Council Member Denise Delgado says city leaders want to ensure any future ordinance is comprehensive and leaves no loopholes for future projects to move forward.

Meanwhile, many residents continue pushing for a permanent ban, arguing enough research already exists from other states to show the potential environmental and infrastructure concerns associated with large-scale data centers.

The special public meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.