Data Centers & Crypto Mining in San Luis Obispo County, CA (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated San Luis Obispo County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Data Center Zoning & Siting
San Luis Obispo County has no data-center-specific ordinance. A data center is treated as an industrial use in the Industrial land use category, needing a discretionary Minor Use Permit plus CEQA review. Coastal-zone parcels also need a Coastal Development Permit. County zoning covers only unincorporated land.
San Luis Obispo County Data Center Zoning (Unincorporated)
Significant RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Planning & Building — Minor Use Permit (Land Use Ordinance, Title 22)
A Minor Use Permit is a discretionary permit, acted on by a hearing officer on behalf of the Director of Planning & Building, allowing a specific land use.
Data Center Noise Limits
San Luis Obispo County's General Plan Noise Element, Table 3-2, caps stationary-source noise at a home's property line at 50 dB hourly Leq daytime and 45 dB nighttime, with 70/65 dB maximums. Data-center cooling and generators are conditioned to meet it through CEQA and permit review.
San Luis Obispo County Noise Limits for Data Centers
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County General Plan Noise Element, Part I Policy Document, Table 3-2 (Maximum Allowable Noise Exposure — Stationary Noise Sources), footnote 1
As determined at the property line of the receiving land use. When determining the effectiveness of noise mitigation measures, the standards may be applied on the receptor side of noise barriers or other property line noise mitigation measures.
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