Shasta County, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Dedicated Ordinance
- None; industrial zoning
- Allowed Zones
- M-L, M industrial
- Classified As
- Data processing / computer services
- M-L Front Yard
- 10 ft; 45 ft height max
- Environmental
- CEQA if discretionary
Summary
Shasta County has no dedicated data-center ordinance. In unincorporated areas a data center is treated as an industrial use and belongs in the Light Industrial (M-L) or General Industrial (M) district, where "data processing or computer services" is a permitted use. Redding, Anderson, and Shasta Lake set their own zoning.
Data processing or computer services, not including retail sales or repair of equipment
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code: Supplement 22).
Full Breakdown
Shasta County does not name data centers in its Zoning Code (Title 17). A server facility fits the M-L Light Industrial district under Section 17.56.020(A)(7), which permits "data processing or computer services" outright if conducted within a building, and the same use is allowed in the General Industrial (M) district. M-L standards (Section 17.56.050) require a 20,000-square-foot minimum lot, a 10-foot front yard, and 20-foot side and rear yards where the site abuts a residential district, with a 45-foot height limit. A building permit and site development plan are required; a larger facility needing a use permit, or any discretionary approval, triggers CEQA review of power, water, and noise. Title 17 governs unincorporated land only.
Violations & Fines
Building a data center outside an M-L or M district, or without the required building permit, site plan, or use permit, is a zoning violation. Planning can withhold permits, issue stop-work orders, and require rezoning or permitting before construction proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a data center be built in unincorporated Shasta County?
Does Shasta County have data center rules, and how can I weigh in?
Do these county rules apply inside Redding, Anderson, or Shasta Lake?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shasta County
California rules heatmap·Compare Shasta County to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
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