Tulare County enacts 45-day AI data center pause; Hanford opposes projects
Supervisors halted new AI data center permits Tuesday, citing water and zoning concerns, while Hanford said it doesn't want data centers inside city limits.
Tulare County enacts 45-day AI data center pause; Hanford opposes projects
Key Takeaways
- Tulare County supervisors approved a 45-day moratorium on new AI data centers on Aug. 18.
- Hanford issued an Aug. 15 statement opposing any data centers within city limits.
- Visalia agreed on Aug. 17 to consider its own moratorium at a future meeting.
- The county says it needs time to update zoning for water, power and noise impacts.
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors hit pause this week. On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the board voted to stop processing new AI data center proposals in unincorporated areas for 45 days while planners write tighter rules. Supervisor Larry Micari backed the move, saying groundwater and farm impacts need clear eyes first.
It was 99 degrees in Hanford that afternoon.
What the county approved
The interim ordinance blocks consideration of new AI data center projects for 45 days, with the option to extend up to a year. County staff told supervisors current zoning never contemplated facilities that run nonstop, draw substantial electricity, and can use significant cooling water. The board also authorized sending form letters opposing AI data centers proposed by other governments inside Tulare County, a response to fairground proposals that have stirred public pushback.
Officials said no full applications are on file yet, though developers have asked staff about potential sites. And the county wants new rules in place before anything big gets to the permit counter.
Hanford’s position
Two days before the county vote, on Aug. 15, the City of Hanford publicly said it opposes AI data centers in the city. Residents had already been packing the council chambers to talk about the issue, even when the council had no item to vote on. Mayor Mark Kairis told crowd members the city has no say over state fairground property, but the council wanted to be clear about city limits.
What prompted the push
Fair board agendas in July drew attention to Global Stack USA, a Santa Ana firm pitching small “edge node” computing units at fairgrounds across the state, including Tulare and Kings counties. After heavy opposition, the Tulare County Fair board tabled its July 21 rental agreement discussion. County officials said the moratorium gives planners time to set standards for noise, backup generators, cooling systems and disclosure of water use, so applications aren’t judged under rules never meant for them.
Visalia added its voice Aug. 17, voting to bring a similar moratorium back on a future agenda. That signals city halls across the Valley want the same thing the county wants: clearer playbooks before anyone writes checks.
“We all sit on groundwater boards, and we know the issues,” Micari said. “If there’s a big data center that uses a million gallons a day, we should be able to close it.”
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