Unincorporated Santa Clara County has no data-center zoning classification. A data center is treated as an industrial use, allowed only in the ML (Light Industrial) or MH (Heavy Industrial) districts, and needs a discretionary Use Permit and CEQA review. Most county land is rural or hillside.
The Santa Clara County Zoning Ordinance contains no data-center or crypto use classification. A large computing facility falls under industrial use classifications such as Manufacturing/Industry or Utilities, which are permitted only in the ML "Light Industrial" and MH "Heavy Industrial" base districts under Chapter 2.40. Those uses generally require a discretionary Use Permit and Architecture and Site Approval (Chapters 5.40 and 5.65), triggering California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review. Industrially zoned land in the unincorporated county is limited — most is agricultural, hillside, or rural — so Silicon Valley's large data centers sit in incorporated cities like Santa Clara and San Jose, which set their own rules. This page covers unincorporated county land only.
Building a data center outside the ML or MH districts, or without the required Use Permit and CEQA clearance, blocks approvals and draws County code enforcement until the site conforms.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Clara County, CA
Unincorporated Santa Clara County's Noise Ordinance includes a motor-vehicle noise provision (Section B11-155). On public roads, vehicle exhaust and muffler ...
Santa Clara County, CA
Unincorporated Santa Clara County's Noise Ordinance treats animal noise as a disturbance: keeping any animal or bird that barks, howls, meows or squawks cont...
Santa Clara County, CA
In unincorporated Santa Clara County, Section B11-154 prohibits construction, drilling, repair, alteration or demolition noise that creates a disturbance acr...
Santa Clara County, CA
In unincorporated Santa Clara County, the County Noise Ordinance (Division B11, Chapter VIII) sets stricter nighttime exterior noise limits from 10:00 p.m. t...
Santa Clara County, CA
Oversized and heavy vehicles face restrictions in unincorporated Santa Clara County. Commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds gross weight rating are barred fr...
Santa Clara County, CA
Heavy commercial vehicles are restricted from parking in residential areas of unincorporated Santa Clara County. County rules generally bar parking commercia...
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