Colusa County, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Dedicated Ordinance
- None; industrial zoning
- Allowed Zones
- M-1, M-2, RD
- Classified As
- R&D / light manufacturing
- Setbacks / FAR
- 15-30 ft front; 0.6 FAR
- Environmental
- CEQA if discretionary
Summary
Colusa County has no dedicated data-center ordinance. In unincorporated areas a server facility is an industrial use, permitted by right in the M-1, M-2, and Research and Development (RD) zones and subject to CEQA and industrial performance standards. Colusa and Williams set their own zoning.
Projects that cannot meet the following performance standards shall be elevated to a minor use permit or use permit.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 850, passed April 7, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Rural Colusa County does not name data centers in its Zoning Code (Chapter 44, Ord. No. 765). A data center is unlisted, so under Section 44-0.10 the Community Development Director classifies it by analogy, most closely as Research and Development or light manufacturing, both permitted by right in the M-1, M-2, and RD zones; a power-heavy campus resembling Utilities, Major needs a Use Permit. Table 44-2.50-1 sets a 0.6 floor-area ratio and a 15-to-30-foot front setback. Section 44-2.50.20 performance standards cap noise, traffic, water, and air-quality impacts; a project that cannot meet them is elevated to a minor use permit or use permit, triggering CEQA. The code governs unincorporated land only.
Violations & Fines
Building a data center outside the M-1, M-2, or RD zones, or without a required use permit or CEQA clearance, is a zoning violation. The county can withhold building permits, issue stop-work orders, and require rezoning or permitting first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a data center be built in unincorporated Colusa County?
Does Colusa County have data center rules, and how can I weigh in?
Do these county rules apply inside the cities of Colusa and Williams?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colusa County
California rules heatmap·Compare Colusa County to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
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