Orange, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Dedicated ordinance
- None
- Zones
- M-1, M-2 industrial
- Data-center use category
- None listed
- Standards
- Sections 17.20.220-17.20.300
- Discretionary review
- CUP + CEQA
Summary
The City of Orange has no data-center ordinance and no "data center" use category. A data center is sited in the M-1 Light Industrial or M-2 Industrial Manufacturing district, classified into the closest industrial use in the Chapter 17.13 Master Land Use Table.
Two industrial zones are established as follows: A. Light Industrial (M1). The M1 district is intended to retain, enhance, and intensify existing, and provide for the new development of, light industrial uses. B. Industrial Manufacturing (M2).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
Orange's Zoning Code (Municipal Code Title 17) names no "data center" use. Chapter 17.20 establishes two industrial zones: M-1 (Light Industrial) and M-2 (Industrial Manufacturing). A data center is classified into the nearest use in the Chapter 17.13 Master Land Use Table and located in M-1 or M-2. It must meet the industrial performance standards in Sections 17.20.220 through 17.20.300, covering noise, vibration, glare, heat, and hours of operation. A use classification carrying a conditional use permit, or a request to extend operating hours, triggers discretionary Planning Commission review and CEQA. The City has adopted no data-center moratorium or study.
Violations & Fines
Building or operating a data center outside an industrial zone, or without a conditional use permit where the assigned use requires one, is a Title 17 zoning violation enforced by Community Development through stop-work orders and abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can data centers be built in the City of Orange?
Does the City of Orange have a data-center ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
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