Santa Clara names "Data Centers" as a defined land use in its Zoning Code. They are allowed in the office and industrial zones - by right or Minor Use Permit in Light Industrial, and by Conditional Use Permit in office/R&D zones - under the use-specific standards of Section 18.60.090.
Unlike Santa Clara County, the City of Santa Clara has a dedicated "Data Centers" use in Title 18. Table 18.16.020 (Office and Industrial Zone Allowed Uses) lists Data Centers across the LO-RD, HO-RD, LI (Light Industrial), and HI (Heavy Industrial) zones. In Light Industrial the use is allowed by right or with a Minor Use Permit; in office and research zones it needs a Conditional Use Permit heard by the Planning Commission, with City Council able to decide appeals and CEQA review attaching to discretionary approvals. Section 18.60.090 sets data-center standards, and the 2025 Zoning Code update lets data-center buildings reach 90 feet. The City's own utility, Silicon Valley Power, supplies electricity, and grid-capacity limits now gate which projects energize.
Building or operating a data center outside the office and industrial zones, or without the Use Permit that Section 18.60.090 requires, is a Zoning Code violation the City abates through Code Enforcement with stop-work orders and penalties.
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