Jefferson Parish, LA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)

Jefferson Parish regulates industrial land uses through Table 33-3.40-1 of the Unified Development Code, Chapter 33 of the Code of Ordinances, which governs unincorporated Jefferson Parish. The table covers five industrial base districts: I-MU Industrial Mixed-Use (§ 33-3.41), I-L Light Industrial (§ 33-3.42), I-H Heavy Industrial (§ 33-3.43), I-LF Landfill Industrial (§ 33-3.44) and AIM Avondale Industrial Marine (§ 33-3.45). Under § 33-3.4.2, P means allowed by right, S means allowed subject to supplemental regulations, SPU means allowed only after review and approval by the parish council, and X means not allowed.

The table has no row titled data center. The closest listing is LBCS function code 4244, data processing, hosting and related services, which covers web hosting, computer data storage, optical scanning, computer input preparation and microfilm imaging. It is P in I-MU, I-L, I-H and AIM and X in I-LF. When a use is not listed in a matrix, § 33-3.4.3 directs the planning director and the building permits director to decide whether a substantially similar use exists, and that use's regulations then apply.

Blockchain mining gets separate treatment. A data mining center (code 4245) is a facility for specialized computer equipment whose primary purpose is mining cryptocurrencies. It is X in I-MU, I-L, I-LF and AIM and SPU in I-H only. Section 33-5.3.7.1 adds standards: no noise, exhaust, heat or humidity perceptible at the property line; a noise mitigation plan when the site sits within five-hundred (500) feet of a residential district or use; no electric or magnetic fields that harm public health, safety and welfare; no cargo containers, railroad cars or semi-truck trailers for any component; and, before approval, written utility verification that line and substation capacity, equipment sizing and voltage stability are adequate.

The SPU route runs through § 33-2.23. The owner files with the planning department a site plan plus substantial competent evidence in the form of data, reports or impact assessments. The Jefferson Parish Council approves by ordinance and must find that the use will not depress surrounding property values, endanger public safety, overburden drainage or sewerage, or cause nuisance from odors, noise, light or glare, and that adequate public facilities and safe access exist. The Council can attach conditions such as special setbacks, increased screening, landscaping or buffering, development phasing, and limits on hours of operation, vibration, noise, odor and dust.