Humboldt County supervisors voted Tuesday to temporarily halt most new data center applications in unincorporated areas while county staff members develop rules for approving the facilities.
The moratorium includes an exception for facilities that use less than 15 megawatts of power generated entirely on-site from renewable sources.
Supervisors directed staff in July to begin developing data center regulations, echoing similar efforts in Eureka and Arcata.
The moratorium is expected to remain in place for about a year while staff completes that work. It initially lasts 45 days, and the board would need to approve an extension before it expires.
Supervisor Michelle Bushnell said she had concerns about data centers and questioned why the county needed a moratorium when proposed data centers already face a public permitting process.
“There's a process in place," she said. "I don't know why we're not following it before we put the moratorium there."
Under the existing process, a proposed data center would need a conditional use permit, with public input, a Planning Commission vote and an opportunity to appeal the decision.
Planning and Building Director John Ford said the county had not recently received any data center applications, though he had spoken with an interested party.
One company confirmed to the Lost Coast Outpost last month that it was considering a facility somewhere in Humboldt County.
Board Chair Mike Wilson said the county was responding to community concerns.
“I received very robust comments from the community that this is more or less something they want to be extremely cautious about,” Wilson said.
A county ordinance could establish more specific restrictions on where data centers can operate. Eureka is considering rules that would allow small facilities in industrial areas while banning larger ones.
Ford said the county may work with Eureka and Arcata to make their regulations consistent.
