Stanislaus County has no dedicated data center ordinance. In unincorporated areas a data center is an industrial use, allowed by right in the Industrial (M) district under Zoning Ordinance Section 21.60.020, subject to building permits and CEQA. Modesto, Turlock, and Ceres set their own zoning.
Unincorporated Stanislaus County regulates data centers only through its general Zoning Ordinance (Title 21), not a data-center chapter. A server or computing facility is an industrial use, permitted by right in the Industrial (M) district, which allows all industrial uses except the heavy, noxious operations listed in Section 21.60.030 (rendering, refining, explosives, smelting). Buildings may rise to 75 feet under Section 21.60.040. Data centers are also contemplated in the Light Industrial (LI) district serving the West Patterson area, which permits computer server assembly, software development, and computer systems research by right. Planned Industrial (PI, Chapter 21.42) sites need a development plan. Discretionary approvals such as a rezone or use permit trigger CEQA review.
Building or expanding a data center in unincorporated Stanislaus County without required building permits, a use permit where the Industrial (M) standards demand one, or CEQA clearance stalls approval and draws county code enforcement until the project conforms.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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