City staff urges zoning code changes to set long-term rules for data centers

City staff recommended on Aug. 25 that the San Antonio City Council pursue out-of-cycle Unified Development Code (UDC) amendments to impose long-term rules on data center siting and design. Amin Thomas, director of development services, told the council the UDC approach is faster and permanent compared with a short-term moratorium and would allow the city to restrict data centers to intense commercial and industrial zones, require larger setbacks from residences and schools, and prohibit development over the Edwards Recharge Zone.

"The UDC amendments is a lot faster, and it's a permanent solution," Thomas said, describing proposed rules that would limit data centers to C3, I1 and I2 zoning, require landscape buffers and fencing, and allow developers who do not meet the standards to seek a specific-use authorization from council. Staff said the UDC amendments could go to the zoning commission on Sept. 15 and to the full council on Oct. 15 for final consideration.

Council members from multiple districts welcomed a regulatory path that would give neighbors notice and a forum to raise concerns about noise, lighting and tree clearing. Staff said the UDC changes would not, by themselves, impose utility limits such as mandatory recycled-water use — those requirements would need to be coordinated with SAWS and CPS Energy or examined as part of other regulatory tools.