Santa Cruz County, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Dedicated Ordinance
- None
- Allowed Districts
- M-1, M-2 industrial
- Approval
- Use permit; CEQA review
- Governing Code
- SCCC 13.10.342
- Jurisdiction
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Santa Cruz County has no dedicated data-center ordinance. On unincorporated land a data center is regulated only as an industrial use, allowed in the M-1 or M-2 districts under SCCC 13.10.342, requiring a use permit plus CEQA review. The county's cities set their own zoning.
Uses that are not specifically identified in the chart but are determined by the Planning Director to be of the same general character as an identified use, may be permitted subject to the same permit requirements as the identified use.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5004302; v11 updated 2026-05-19; through 05-19-2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Title 13, Chapter 13.10, the county reserves industrial uses for the M-1 Light Industrial, M-2 Heavy Industrial, and M-3 Mineral Extraction districts. No data center appears in the Industrial Uses Chart (Table 13.10.342-1), so the Planning Director classifies it as a use of the same general character as a listed industrial use and applies the matching permit, typically an Administrative or Conditional Use Permit under Chapter 18.10. Any discretionary approval triggers CEQA review, and new industrial structures in the coastal zone plus a one-mile buffer face added Coastal Development Permit limits under SCCC 13.20.050. Chapter 13.10 governs unincorporated land only; Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Scotts Valley, and Capitola apply their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Building a data center outside the M-1 or M-2 districts, or without the required use permit, CEQA clearance, or Coastal Development Permit, is a zoning violation. The county can withhold permits and issue stop-work orders until the project conforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Santa Cruz County have data center rules, and how can I weigh in?
Where could a data center be built in unincorporated Santa Cruz County?
Does county zoning apply inside the cities?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Cruz County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Cruz County to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
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