Gilroy extends moratorium on data center projects

The Gilroy City Council has extended a temporary ban on new data center projects in the city for more than 10 months. Councilmembers on Monday unanimously approved a longer moratorium than it set last month as employees work to create objective zoning, development and operational standards for projects similar to an Amazon data center previously allowed to pass through without public input. Residents urged the council to extend the moratorium and while they are happy with it, some remain concerned about how the city will handle future projects. City Administrator Matt Morley said the city wants to get the development standards right and emphasized ensuring Gilroy’s needs are prioritized. He said the time allotted by the moratorium, which expires Sept. 3, 2027 and can be extended once more for another 12 months, allows city employees to look into best practices and connect with residents on the development standards. “Both are complementary parts of the next steps and both will guide fu