Sacramento, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Dedicated ordinance
- None
- Zones
- M-1, M-2 industrial
- Use category
- Nearest industrial; none specific
- Permit
- By-right or CUP
- Review
- CEQA + PDC hearing
Summary
The City of Sacramento has no data-center ordinance and no "data center" use category. Data centers locate in the M-1 light-industrial and M-2 heavy-industrial zones under Title 17, classified as "Manufacturing, service, and repair" - permitted by right, or by conditional use permit with CEQA review when discretionary.
The following uses are permitted by right in the M-1 zone, subject to the limitations specified: Manufacturing, service, and repair: Permitted if use is located greater than 1/2 mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform.
Full Breakdown
Sacramento's Planning and Development Code (City Code Title 17) does not name "data center" as a use. A server facility is classified into the nearest existing category in the M-1 or M-2 industrial use tables, such as "Manufacturing, service, and repair," permitted by right when sited more than half a mile from a light-rail station platform, otherwise requiring a conditional use permit. A facility classed as a telecommunications facility follows special use regulations in section 17.228.300. Discretionary permits trigger CEQA review and a Planning and Design Commission hearing. Sacramento has adopted no data-center moratorium.
Violations & Fines
Building or operating a data center outside a zone that permits it, or without a required conditional use permit, is a Title 17 zoning violation enforced by Community Development through stop-work orders, penalties, and abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can data centers be built in the City of Sacramento?
Does the City of Sacramento require a special permit for a data center?
Has Sacramento adopted a data-center ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
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Data Center Zoning & Siting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sacramento County handle data center zoning & siting.