Mountain View, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Dedicated use
- Yes - named Data center
- Zones
- ML and MM industrial
- Permit level
- By-right (P) + Development Review
- CUP required
- No
- Enclosure
- Fully enclosed building required
Summary
Mountain View's Zoning Ordinance names "data center" as a distinct use, permitted by right in the Limited Industrial (ML) and General Industrial (MM) districts when housed in a fully enclosed building. No Conditional Use Permit is required for a conforming facility.
Wholesale, warehousing and data centers. Wholesale businesses, warehousing, and data centers, when conducted within a fully enclosed building.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-04-20B, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Unlike Santa Clara County, which has no data-center use category and requires a discretionary Use Permit plus CEQA, Mountain View's City Code Chapter 36 lists "Data centers" as a named land use. Section 36.20.15(a)(2) permits wholesale, warehousing, and data centers when conducted within a fully enclosed building. The use carries a "P" designation in both the ML (Limited Industrial) and MM (General Industrial) districts, meaning it is permitted by right subject to zoning compliance and Development Review under Section 36.44.45. No Conditional Use Permit is needed for a conforming data center. Larger projects requiring a discretionary Development Review Permit trigger CEQA; smaller ministerial approvals do not.
Violations & Fines
Building or operating a data center outside an ML or MM district, or not within a fully enclosed building, violates Chapter 36 and is enforced through zoning compliance actions, stop-work orders, and code enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mountain View allow data centers by right?
How is Mountain View different from Santa Clara County?
Where can I comment on Mountain View's data-center rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Data Center Zoning & Siting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle data center zoning & siting.