Palm Springs Considers 45-Day Moratorium on New Data Centers

Palm Springs could become the latest Coachella Valley city to take steps to limit data center development.

The Palm Springs City Council is expected to consider a temporary moratorium on new data centers next week. City staff is recommending a 45-day pause on accepting or approving applications for new data center projects.

The temporary ban would give the city time to consider regulations for data centers as part of its ongoing zoning code updates.

City staff members are raising concerns about the potential impacts of data centers on local water and power resources, as well as the relatively low number of jobs the facilities can provide compared with their potential resource demands.

If approved, Palm Springs would join several other Coachella Valley cities that have taken steps to restrict or examine data center development, including Indio, Desert Hot Springs and Coachella.

The proposed moratorium would not permanently prohibit data centers in Palm Springs. Instead, it would provide city officials with additional time to study how the facilities should be regulated and where, if anywhere, they should be allowed.

The City Council is scheduled to discuss the proposed 45-day moratorium Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Palm Springs City Hall.

The discussion comes as communities across the Coachella Valley consider how large-scale data centers could affect water supplies, electricity demand, land use and future development.