Calaveras Data Center Moratorium Passes 4-0

Published Aug 25, 2026 12:01 pm

Bret Sampson speaks about the data center moratorium

San Andreas,  CA — After going back and forth on some of the finer points, the Calaveras Supervisors approved a 45-day moratorium on data center construction.

At the meeting two weeks ago, the supervisors directed staff to return with the measure that was approved today.

It can be extended up to two years and will allow county staff time to review the matter fully and potentially come back with a more permanent ordinance. The final vote was 4-0 with Board Chair Benjamin Stopper absent.

Calaveras Planning Director Bret Sampson told the supervisors, “There have been some very negative stories throughout the nation of this type of use (data center) coming in, they say it is ‘by right,’ very well-funded corporations, and so a county such as us with limited resources, we really need to be proactive and protect ourselves.”

He noted that current county ordinances do not address data centers, and they have impacts on energy, water, heat, and things that are still unknown.

Noting that many states are voting on AI data center-related prohibitions, Sampson added, “I find it weird, or concerning, or kind of an anomaly that California, with the most robust environmental law in the country, possibly the world, has not really moved to ban this use.”

Supervisor Amanda Folendorf, serving as Board Chair with Stopper absent, stressed that the prohibition not unintentionally impact other businesses, citing the hospital and county government operations (that need cloud compute). There was consideration of allowing smaller data centers under 5,000 square feet or requiring that data centers be a secondary aspect of a facility. In the end, the board approved the moratorium for all of these types of facilities (including under 5,000 square feet) and directed staff to further investigate allowing smaller data centers as a secondary use (to protect existing businesses). Sampson indicated in his comments that he believes that IT centers connected to existing businesses are already a permitted use under existing rules (and would not be negatively impacted).

Several community members also came up during the public comment portion, encouraging the board to approve the prohibition.