Perris City Council Votes Unanimously to Ban Data Centers Citywide, Second in Riverside County
Perris is a city in Riverside County, California. The Perris City Council voted unanimously on the evening of October 13 to ban data centers citywide, at its meeting in the council chambers at 101 North D Street. Perris became the second city in Riverside County to prohibit the land use, after Coachella, and the first in the western part of the county. According to The Riverside Record's October 14 report, cheers and applause followed the vote.
Principal Planner Rafael Garcia told the council the item came with a unanimous recommendation from the city's planning commission, which found that any benefits from potential investment, property tax revenue or job creation from a data center would not outweigh the negative impacts. Garcia said a citywide prohibition would help protect public health, safety and general welfare and manage the high, continuous demand for electricity and water associated with data centers, while setting a clear policy before major private investment comes into the city.
The newly adopted policy defines data centers as any facility, building, structure or dedicated space within a structure used to house a computer network, computer systems or servers for storing or processing data, including server farms, hyperscale facilities and small, decentralized edge data centers. Traditional telephone switching facilities, telecommunication antennas, residential computer rooms and standard server rooms ancillary to a permitted office use are not included.
The issue was first raised earlier this year by Councilmember David Starr Rabb, who asked staff to research data center impacts, and in June the council voted unanimously to move forward with a ban. Fifteen speakers addressed the October 13 meeting in support. Councilmember Marisela Nava said before the vote that she was glad the city had gotten ahead of an item that could have jeopardized the community, and that the community's general welfare should never be up for negotiation.
Several residents also asked the council to send a letter to the 46th District Agricultural Association and Southern California Fair board seeking an end to its agreement with Global Stack LLC to explore a potential development at the fairgrounds that includes a proposed data center. Mayor Michael Vargas responded that the fairgrounds are state-owned property and outside the council's jurisdiction.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：佩里斯南站（Perris South）Metrolink车站实景资料图。来源：Metrolink，经Wikimedia Commons发布，加州公共记录、公共领域 / Photo: Perris South Metrolink station in Perris, California (file photo). Source: Metrolink, via Wikimedia Commons, California public record, public domain
