St. Tammany Parish, LA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted district
- AML district only (Exhibit 400-7)
- Max ground floor area
- 1,000,000 square feet
- Min lot area
- 20,000 square feet
- Min lot width
- 80 feet (with central water/sewer)
- Residential buffer
- 75 feet where AML abuts residential
- General penalty
- $300 fine plus court costs, Sec. 1-9
Summary
St. Tammany Parish limits data centers and data warehousing to its AML Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics District under UDC Sec. 400-5.1.H. The use is listed by right in Exhibit 400-7 for the AML district alone; none of the parish's other five industrial districts permit it, and any AML project is capped at a 1,000,000-square-foot ground floor.
H.AML Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics District.1.Purpose. The purpose of the AML Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics District is to provide for the location of very large-scale facilities for the research and development, advanced manufacturing, and transportation/logistics industries. Such facilities should be located in close proximity to major high-capacity transportation routes, with the ideal location allowing for multi-modal opportunities. ... 2.Permitted uses. ... a.Data center and data warehousingb.Distribution or Warehousing Facilityc.Electrical Energy Substation*d.Food Processinge.Manufacturing, advancedf.Manufacturing, artisang.Manufacturing, lighth.Officei.Research and development facility... 3.Site and structure provisions.a.Maximum building ground floor area. The maximum building ground floor area is 1,000,000 square feet. ... d.Transitional yard. Where an AML District adjoins a residential district, transitional yards shall be provided in accordance with the following regulations:i.Where an AML District abuts a residential zoning district, a buffer of 75 feet shall be imposed along the adjoining lot line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Exhibit 400-7, the industrial permitted-use table referenced in Sec. 400-5.1.B, lists "Data center and data warehousing" with a "P" only in the AML column; the I-1, I-2, I-3, SWM-1, and SWM-2 industrial districts carry no letter for the use, which under the table's own key means it is not permitted there at all. Sec. 400-5.1.H explains why: the AML Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics District exists "to provide for the location of very large-scale facilities for the research and development, advanced manufacturing, and transportation/logistics industries," sited close to major high-capacity transportation routes with multi-modal access, and data centers sit on the district's own permitted-use list alongside distribution facilities, advanced and light manufacturing, and research and development.
An AML project has to meet the district's own dimensional standards. The maximum building ground floor area is 1,000,000 square feet, measured within the exterior walls and excluding detached structures, carports, patios, decks, cantilevered projections, and required ramps or stairways. A new lot cannot be created below 20,000 square feet, and lot width must run at least 80 feet where the site has central water and sewer. Where an AML lot adjoins a residential district, the parish requires a 75-foot buffer along the shared lot line, and any building taller than 25 feet in that yard adds one more foot of setback for every additional foot of height, measured separately on each building facade.
Violations & Fines
Building a data center outside the AML District, or exceeding the district's 1,000,000-square-foot ground floor cap or 75-foot residential buffer, is a UDC violation. With no data-center-specific fine written into Chapter 400, enforcement falls to the Sec. 1-9 general penalty: a misdemeanor punishable by a $300.00 fine plus 22nd Judicial District Court costs, with each day of the violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a data center be built in unincorporated St. Tammany Parish?
How large can an AML data center building be?
What buffer applies if an AML site is next to a house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Tammany Parish
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