Planning Commission hears proposals for new data center zoning code

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson officials are considering new zoning regulations for large data centers as residents and city leaders raise concerns about the industry’s potential impact on water and energy resources in the desert city.

The Tucson Planning Commission held a special meeting Wednesday evening at City Hall to review proposed zoning rules for future data center developments. The meeting comes months after “Project Blue,” a proposed large-scale data center project, sparked public debate over resource use, infrastructure demands and transparency in the approval process.

City planning staff presented a series of possible regulations that would apply to future facilities, including noise restrictions, setback requirements from homes and businesses, and standards tied to water consumption and energy usage.

Audience members and commissioners repeatedly emphasized the need for stronger oversight as Tucson experiences rapid growth in technology-related development.

“I would encourage you to take some risks,” one audience member told commissioners during public comment.

Reed Spurling, a member of the No Desert Data Center Coalition, said the city’s discussion was overdue.

“This is something that we really needed last year before Project Blue came to town,” Spurling said. “And Project Blue really showed us that we need regulations like these. So I’m glad that they’re looking at them.”

Data centers, which house computer servers and cloud storage infrastructure, have become increasingly common nationwide as demand for artificial intelligence and digital services grows. However, the facilities often require large amounts of electricity for computing operations and cooling systems, drawing scrutiny in arid regions such as Southern Arizona.

Planning Commissioner Gustavo Silva questioned staff about the strain such facilities could place on Tucson’s electrical grid.

“Starting with the energy demands, I can see that most residents, or a lot of residents, are worried about the strain data centers will have on the electrical grid,” Silva said.

Water usage also emerged as a major concern during the meeting.

“Water is especially important here in the desert,” Spurling said. “The river just a few blocks from here is dry. We don’t have more water to give.”

The commission did not take any formal action Wednesday. A public hearing on the proposed zoning regulations is scheduled for June 3.

BEFORE PUBLISHING: Add ‘reporter footer’ (Module > Shared> Search for your name)