The city of Coachella is moving to ban data centers after a public outcry in a massive shift just months after unanimous approval from lawmakers.
The city is in Riverside County imposed imposed a temporary 45-day ban on data center development on Thursday, and voted unanimously to terminate its agreement with Stronghold Power, the company behind the initial proposal.
The decision comes after months of public outrage and protests from Coachella residents, citing everything from environmental concerns to rising electricity prices. Before Thursday’s city meeting, hundreds gathered outside holding signs and chanting “No data centers!”
“I feel like the council did exactly what the mayor said and made a course correction,” resident James Rodriguez said. “I’m very excited that the moratorium is now in place and we’re on our way to a ban.” NBC Palm Springs.
Along with Coachella, the city of Indio also unanimously decided to impose a moratorium.
In February, the council approved an agreement with Stronghold Powers to build a “Coachella Valley Technology Campus” that was to span 450 acres of land. However, this freeze effectively closes the door on any potential plans.
“Stronghold Power Systems is disappointed by the City Council’s decision to terminate our development agreement. We came to Coachella with a project that will provide significant benefits to the city, built with state-of-the-art environmental protections,” said the company’s government affairs consultant.
The data center backlash isn’t limited to the Coachella Valley. In a decision that could reverberate throughout California, voters in Monterey Park approved a ballot measure that would permanently ban new data center development within city limits.
Voted for Monterey Park The first city in the country to enact such a ban Through direct people voting, highlighting growing concerns about the industry’s impact on local communities.
The Coachella City Council is scheduled to meet again in July to determine next steps.