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Fremont, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Key Facts

Dedicated ordinance
None
Classified as
Information use, data processing/hosting
Districts
I-S, I-T, I-G industrial
Permit level
By-right, plus design review
CEQA
Applies to discretionary approvals

Summary

Fremont has no dedicated data-center ordinance. A data center is classified as "data processing and hosting" within the Information use (NAICS 51), permitted by right in all three industrial districts - Service (I-S), Tech (I-T), and General (I-G) - subject to hazardous-materials review and mandatory design review.

Information (e.g., newspaper and book publishing, software publishing, motion picture and sound recording studios, radio and television broadcasting, and data processing and hosting) excluding telecommunication facilities

Source: City of Fremont Zoning Ordinance (Municipal Code Title 18, Ch. 18.50 Industrial Districts) & Noise Ordinance (Ch. 9.25)View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 02-2026, passed May 5, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Fremont's Zoning Ordinance (Municipal Code Title 18) names no "data center" use. Table 18.50.090 places "data processing and hosting" inside the Information category (NAICS 51), permitted by right in the I-S, I-T, and I-G industrial districts, subject to note 5 high-intensity hazardous-materials review under Section 18.190.220. Telecommunication facilities are excluded and regulated separately in Chapter 18.190. Every industrial development requires a design review permit under Section 18.50.050(j), and discretionary approvals trigger CEQA. Uses not listed are prohibited unless a finding of similarity is approved under Chapter 18.250. Fremont has adopted no data-center moratorium.

Violations & Fines

Building or operating a data center outside an industrial district, without the required design review permit, or beyond the Section 18.50.040 performance standards is a zoning violation enforced by the building official through citations and abatement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can data centers be built in Fremont?
In the three industrial districts - Service (I-S), Tech (I-T), and General (I-G). Table 18.50.090 classifies a data center as "data processing and hosting" within the Information use, permitted by right.
Does Fremont require a special permit for a data center?
No. A data center is permitted by right as an Information use, though every industrial project needs a design review permit, and hazardous-materials storage triggers review under Section 18.190.220.
Has Fremont passed a data-center ordinance?
No. Fremont has no dedicated data-center ordinance or moratorium; existing industrial zoning and noise standards govern. Residents wanting tailored rules can petition the Planning Commission via fremont.gov/government/agenda-center/planning-commission.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Fremont

All Fremont rules

California rules heatmap·Compare Fremont to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview

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