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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal Tuesday to develop a zoning amendment prohibiting large-scale data centers in unincorporated areas, citing concerns about the facilities' energy and water demands and potential public health effects.
The motion by Supervisor Hilda Solis would direct the Department of Regional Planning to begin drafting an amendment to the county's zoning code establishing definitions for different types of data centers based on factors including acreage, square footage, energy use and water consumption.
The proposed zoning amendment would distinguish hyperscale and artificial intelligence data centers from what the motion calls "beneficial use" facilities, including enterprise, accessory or sole-source data centers used for daily computational needs.
The zoning amendment would prohibit facilities meeting its definition of "large-scale" in every zone of unincorporated Los Angeles County.
"Given the pressing concerns to immediately prevent the environmental and health effects of data centers powering AI from impacting unincorporated County residents, it is imperative that the Board of Supervisors act on the recommendations to prohibit these facilities expediently," according to the motion.
The proposal comes amid growing interest in the environmental effects of the computing infrastructure required for increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems.
"Data centers servicing artificial intelligence (AI) consume high rates of energy, over-utilize water resources, contribute to environmental pollution, and impact public health in ways that are still being understood," according to Solis' motion.
The motion states that the growth of artificial intelligence has fueled development of hyperscale or large-scale data centers that can be larger and consume more resources than facilities traditionally used to service computer networks and store data.
It also points to opposition to proposed data centers in the San Gabriel Valley. According to the motion, the Board of Supervisors received 101 pages of public comments, primarily calling for a moratorium on data centers.
The motion cites actions by Monterey Park, Montebello, Baldwin Park and El Monte to restrict or halt data center development and notes that Alhambra voters are scheduled to consider a similar ballot measure in November.
The county began examining the issue in April, when the board approved a motion directing county departments to study the potential health, environmental and safety effects of data centers, along with their impact on electrical and water resources.
A subsequent county report recommended amending Title 22 of the county zoning code to define data centers and prohibit hyperscale facilities in all zones.
According to Solis' motion, the county's director of Regional Planning on Sept. 17 invoked existing authority under Title 22 to rely on the absence of a similarly defined land use to prohibit large-scale data centers while a comprehensive zoning amendment is developed.
Tuesday's motion would direct Regional Planning to inform residents in unincorporated communities about that action.
It would also direct the Department of Public Health, working with County Counsel, to determine whether the county's noise regulations should be amended to address "low frequency and continuous noise associated with large- scale data centers."
The county's chief executive officer would be directed to identify funding needed to prepare and implement the zoning amendment, its required California Environmental Quality Act analysis and any changes to the county's noise regulations.
The motion additionally calls for Regional Planning and County Counsel to be prepared to introduce a moratorium if a proposed data center in an unincorporated area presents what the motion describes as a "current and immediate threat to public health, safety, and welfare."
Such a moratorium would target facilities posing a serious risk or nuisance involving health, safety or environmental resources, particularly water and energy resources.