Modesto residents demand city leaders stop data centers from coming to city

Hundreds of Modesto residents packed City Hall demanding that leaders stop data centers from coming to the city.

The issue wasn't even on the agenda Tuesday night, but comes after word got out that data center developers had been lobbying city leaders.

This is all raising new questions because just weeks ago, city leaders said they were still learning about the issue and had not taken a side. Now, they say there is no side, as it's against city code.

"We are telling you we do not want this; we do not want data centers in our town," a resident said in Tuesday's meeting.

A resident asked Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen to commit to a moratorium on data centers being built in the city.

"No comment," Zwahlen said.

The city now says data centers aren't even an allowed use under Modesto's current municipal code.

No application has been filed and any future project would first require a code change, environmental review, and approvals through the planning commission and city council.

"In your July 29 post, you were indifferent to the matter. You were not for or against it, but now the city is saying the entire idea is against city code. Did you know that?" reporter Nina Burns asked Councilmember Chris Ricci.

"No," Ricci said.

Ricci said a developer could still ask the city to change its code, something he says happens regularly with proposed projects. But he said his stance has changed since his original post. 

"My stance is that I am for a moratorium on data centers," Ricci said. "I'm for a ban on data centers to be added to our code specifically."

But residents are still asking for something more permanent than the city saying there are no plans as of now.

Many residents pointed to the City of Patterson, which established a 45-day moratorium after they were reached out to by a data center developer. 

A spokesperson for the city said they aren't Patterson; they're Modesto, and as of now, there is no formal application.