Monterey Park, a city of 60,000 people located about 10 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, has become the second city in the nation to approve an all-out ban on data centers. Approximately 86 percent of voters in the city approved the measure on Tuesday.
The ban declares a prohibition on data centers citywide to “protect air quality, drinking water resources and public health” and “prevent impacts to electricity and water rates.” The move follows a proposed data center project that was withdrawn earlier this year after the city council adopted a moratorium on such construction.
Data center restrictions have gained traction across state and local levels nationwide due to rising community opposition against sprawling server warehouses central to the AI boom. In April, a Wisconsin city passed a referendum targeting data center construction, requiring large-scale projects that receive tax benefits to secure approval from local voters following the construction of a campus that received incentives.
Several state legislatures are also considering moratoriums on data centers, though none have been enacted so far. Maine’s legislature passed a ban that was vetoed by Governor Janet Mills (D). The New York Legislature appears poised to pass a one-year ban on construction, but it remains unclear whether Governor Kathy Hochul (D) will support the measure.
Monterey Park Mayor Elizabeth Yang stated: “A lot of the other cities that are facing data center proposals are going to follow suit. There’s [a] bad reputation across the board, across the country, from other data centers that have been built in neighborhoods.”
The city is believed to be only the second in the nation to pass an anti-data center referendum, following a vote in a small Milwaukee suburb earlier this year. The Data Center Coalition’s director, Khara Boender, stated: “The data center industry will continue to work with California residents, communities, and policymakers to support the responsible development of this critical infrastructure and ensure California remains competitive in the modern economy.”
Environmental advocates saw the Monterey Park vote as a bright spot for the state after setbacks during Tuesday’s primary election.
Organizers across the nation have signaled eagerness to embrace plans similar to Monterey Park’s referendum in states including Ohio, Georgia, Maryland, and Utah.