“I think Supervisor Walton has done us a service in forcing us to think about it,” Mandelman told The Standard, “forcing the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Department to get our ducks in a row.”
Friday was the deadline for Lurie to sign it. If he hadn’t, the moratorium would’ve gone into effect anyway, according to (opens in new tab)the ordinance (opens in new tab).
Lurie said that during the moratorium, the city will “develop a thoughtful, responsible framework,” while “prioritizing community needs, keeping electricity rates low, and protecting the clean water and air our residents deserve.”
The mayor’s statement (opens in new tab)did not explicitly mention data centers.
The Standard reported in September that the Planning Department, in charge of approving permits needed to build anything in San Francisco, did not know how many data centers exist in the city.
According to market intelligence firm (opens in new tab)Data Center Map (opens in new tab), the city has at least six data centers, including two in Bayview-Hunters Point, a southeastern neighborhood that has more industrial zoning than any other part of the city.
Walton, who represents southeast San Francisco, has criticized the zoning code for not having a true definition for data centers. At a committee meeting last week, Walton stressed the importance of understanding how data centers affect communities.
“Transparency about water and energy demands enforceable community benefits,” Walton said, “and a real opportunity for residents to weigh in before projects are approved, not after.”