Data centers looking to plug into San Antonio now have to get through City Council first. On Thursday, October 29, local lawmakers voted 9-2 to require city approval for every future data server farm, a measure proponents say will give residents more say in where the facilities are built.

D9’s Misty Spears and D10’s Marc Whyte cast the only dissenting votes. Both argued that regulation would chase tech investments away from the city.

The ordinance amends the city’s Unified Development Code so that new data centers in eligible commercial and industrial zoning districts need a Specific Use Authorization, or “S,” before construction can begin.

City Council considered two other proposals. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ version called for stricter regulations and more public input. Whyte’s plan, modeled on the Zoning Commission’s recommendation, would have allowed some data centers by right.

D6’s Ric Galvan paved the road to Thursday’s vote a year ago, when he submitted a request for a comprehensive policy discussion. His Far West Side district has become the hub of data center development in San Antonio.

Council tweaked the ordinance before the final vote, tacking on an amendment letting council consider distance from UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the San Antonio Missions, when weighing projects.

The members also adopted Whyte’s formal definition of data centers. Any facility primarily used for cloud computing, AI, and high-performance computing now counts under the ordinance. Telecommunications switching facilities and server rooms that support on-site business operations are excluded.