By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The Tucson City Council voted 6-1 Wednesday, August 5, to adopt new regulations governing large-scale data centers within city limits, following nearly a year of study and feedback from more than a thousand community members.
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The vote comes nearly one year to the day after the same council unanimously rejected the Project Blue data center proposal.
The new ordinance establishes the first specific standards for data centers in Tucson city code.
Under the ordinance, a large-scale data center is defined as any facility, group of facilities, or portion of a facility on a contiguous site under common ownership that exceeds 25,000 square feet of gross floor area or uses more than 20 megawatts of power, and that houses networked computer systems or telecommunications equipment for remote data storage, processing, or distribution.
Among the most consequential provisions, facilities must be located more than a half mile from residential areas and more than 1,000 feet from commercial and office zoning districts.
The zoning administrator may require a separation of up to 2,640 feet, in consultation with other city staff, based on findings in a required Environmental Resource Report.
Additional requirements include:
- A demonstration of available energy supply and for data centers to disclose their energy mix
- Requiring generators only be used as backup power sources
- Facilities must show available water supply
- Facilities not subject to the city’s Large Quantity Water Users Ordinance are prohibited from using potable water
- A 50-foot height limit with a 40-foot buffer around each facility
- Submission of a noise mitigation plan, Environmental Report, and a parking statement justifying the amount of parking the facility needs.
The key to the ordinance outside of defining what a large-scale data center is in city code is that any large scale data center must get approval by mayor and council.
Several residents questioned whether the new rules would be enough.
Tucson resident Roma Lamor said she doubted companies would comply with energy emissions requirements.
“All the energy emissions the companies will not follow them anyway,” Lamor said.
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Tucson resident Kielly Lewis raised concerns about water use.
“They extract every drop of water from every area that they inhabit,” Lewis said. “We don’t have the water. We will have even less after we lose our rights to the Colorado River basin.”
Multiple speakers urged the council to go further. Tucson resident Margo Itule called for a moratorium on future large-scale data centers.
“What would be more appropriate would be to pause any future large-scale data centers to determine if this AI bubble is not just a mad rush to cash in.” Itule said. “We must conclude that absolutely data centers do not belong in the desert.”
Part of the council’s hesitancy to pursue a full ban was tied to Proposition 207, which holds the city liable if a ban on data centers diminishes the market value of property or land. Lamor countered that concern, saying, “Any land that is near a data center will have no value.”
Lewis echoed the call for stronger action.
“We don’t have resources for this — please ban all data centers, all large, hyperscale and otherwise, and protect our community for future generations,” Lewis said.
While the full ban was discussed, ultimately the council decided to approve the new ordinance for large scale data centers but they may revisit the ordinance in a minimum of one year.
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You can watch the interview in the video player.
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