Coachella City Council to discuss extending data center moratorium as preparations for permanent ban continue

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) - The Coachella City Council will consider extending its data center moratorium by an additional 10 months, according to the agenda for next week's meeting.

Councilmembers passed a 45-day moratorium on data centers during its June 4 meeting. City staff was directed to work on a permanent ban before the 45 days were up, but according to the agenda, the staff is asking for more time as it works on that ordinance, which could come in August.

If the ordinance is approved, the moratorium would be extended by an additional 10 months and five days, which would take it through June 4, 2027.

If it does not pass, the current moratorium is set to expire on July 19.

City staff wrote that they are preparing a proposed ordinance to amend Title 17 of the Coachella Municipal Code, which would permanently prohibit data centers and related uses within the City. The amendment is set to go before the planning commission on July 18, followed by the city council on August 12.

The ordinance would come before councilmembers after the 45-day moratorium ends, so to avoid a lapse in the prohibition of data centers, staff recommends that the City Council adopt another urgency ordinance extending the current moratorium.

The city council is set to meet on Wednesday, July 8. Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on the issue.

Coachella residents have been very vocally against the data center project, with hours of public comment during several council meetings. Many against the project have claimed detrimental impacts to the city and surrounding areas, due to air, noise and water pollution.

Desert Hot Springs and Indio have also approved their own data center moratoriums. Last month, Monterey Park in Los Angeles County became the first city in the country to issue a permanent ban.