Gilroy CA interim urgency data center moratorium (2026)
Gilroy, CA — Interim Urgency Ordinance Pausing New Data Center Applications (September 14, 2026)
Gilroy, CA · City of Gilroy, Cal. — Interim Urgency Ordinance (Sept. 14, 2026); Cal. Gov't Code § 65858
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- October 29, 2026
- Applies to
- Applicants for new data center approvals in Gilroy; city planning staff.
- Enforced by
- City of Gilroy Community Development Department / City Council
Gilroy City Council took up a temporary citywide moratorium on new data center applications at its September 14, 2026 meeting, structured as an interim urgency ordinance so it would take effect immediately on approval. The pause is to let the city review and update design and development standards for data centers and other industrial development. It does not touch the Amazon data center already approved and under construction in northeast Gilroy — which is the project that generated the pressure in the first place. Community groups had objected that the Amazon development was approved through the administrative permit process rather than through public hearings or a council vote, and a petition titled 'NO MORE SECRET DATA CENTERS IN GILROY!' circulated locally. The mechanism matters for how long this lasts: under California Government Code an interim urgency ordinance runs 45 days unless the council renews it, may then be extended by 10 months and 15 days, and can be extended once more by a further 12 months. So the initial window is short by design and the council must act again within weeks to keep it alive.
Who is protected: Gilroy residents, through an immediate pause on new data center applications while the city updates design and development standards — though the Amazon project that prompted it is exempt.
Legal detail
City of Gilroy, Cal. — interim urgency ordinance imposing a temporary citywide moratorium on new data center applications, considered and reported approved at the September 14, 2026 City Council meeting, effective immediately on adoption. STATUTORY CLOCK, per Cal. Gov't Code § 65858: an interim urgency ordinance is effective for 45 days from adoption; the council may extend it once by 10 months and 15 days after notice and hearing, and once more by 12 months, for a maximum of two years. expires_date is therefore recorded as approximately 2026-10-29 — the initial 45-day term — NOT a one- or two-year horizon; the entry must be rechecked for the extension vote. EXCLUSION: the Amazon data center already approved and under construction in northeast Gilroy is unaffected. Political trigger: community objection that the Amazon project was approved via administrative permit rather than public hearing or council vote, and an associated local petition campaign. Purpose of the pause: review and update design and development standards applicable to data centers and other industrial development.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Gilroy, CA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | September 14, 2026 |
| Citation | City of Gilroy, Cal. — Interim Urgency Ordinance (Sept. 14, 2026); Cal. Gov't Code § 65858 |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | New data center applications are not accepted during the interim ordinance's term |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · government use of AI |
| News report | Gilroy City Council adopts moratorium on new data centers — Gilroy Dispatch |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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