Richmond joins growing list of cities pausing building permits for data centers
on October 24, 2026
Richmond this week became the most recent Bay Area city to impose a moratorium on data center permits, giving officials time to study potential impacts and determine whether, and under what rules, the facilities should be allowed
The council initially adopted a 45-day moratorium in September, unanimously extending that on Tuesday to Sept. 15, 2028.
Community Development Director Lina Velasco has said Richmond’s zoning regulations do not specifically address data centers. She warned that without regulations in place, a project could “potentially become entitled without standards specifically developed” to address its impacts.
Council members want to better understand the issue before a proposal comes before them. “I want to have the facts that I can compare and contrast, so I can make an informed decision,” said Jamelia Brown.
‘Not too comfortable’ with data centers
It’s an issue city councils are wrangling with across the country and especially in California, home to the third-highest number of data centers.
Gov. Gavin Newsomn recently signed a series of bills that strengthen reporting requirements so communities have information about the amount of land, water and electricity a proposed data center would use. Last year, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have monitored water use by data centers, saying he didn’t want to impose “rigid” reporting requirements on “critically important digital infrastructure.”
A Pew Research Center survey published in September found that 60% of U.S. adults would be “not too comfortable” or “not at all comfortable” with a data center operating in their area. Pew also learned that 38% of Americans live within five miles of at least one data center in operation.
There are more than 400 active moratoriums nationwide, with 13 cities and three counties in California having imposed temporary holds on data center construction, according to a tracker maintained by Interconnected Capital, which invests in artificial intelligence technology. Coachella and Calexico have placed permanent moratoriums. In the Bay Area, Oakland, San Francisco, Oakley and Gilroy have put a pause on data center applications. There are active projects in Gilroy, Hayward, San Jose and Pittsburg.
Many residents are concerned about water demand, which can be millions of gallons per day for larger facilities, as well as electricity use, fearing it would jack up electric bills. Speakers supporting Richmond’s moratorium also pointed to noise, air pollution and land use
“We have to act as stewards for our water resources,” Shana Lazerow, legal co-director at Communities for a Better Environment, told the council Tuesday. “And of course, the noise from data center operations is extremely well-documented from communities that are suffering these impacts already.”
‘The absolute bare minimum’
Before the Sept. 15 council meeting, residents and community organizers rallied in support of the moratorium, holding signs that read, “No data center.”
“We are worried about what the impact will bring to our health and the quality of life for our families, especially in communities that already face pollution and other issues,” Ana Romero told the council. .
“There should be no more data centers, but a moratorium is the absolute bare minimum,” Sheelah Bearfoot, an environmental health researcher, said at the meeting.
There is no pending application for a data center in Richmond. The Grandview Independent reported in March that OpenAI had leased a building on Harbour Way, adding that the company planned to house a robotics lab there.
“I can confirm that there is no data center nor is there one designed as part of a building permit or planning entitlements,” Avery Stark, the city’s planning manager, said in response to a council member’s question about whether a data center might already be operating in Richmond.
The city has put out a request for proposals from consultants to lead the community engagement process and policy development.
Stark said Tuesday that the additional time will enable the City Council to determine if there is validity in the concerns raised about data centers.
(Top photo by Moriah Prescia)
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