Santa Cruz County has no dedicated data-center ordinance. On unincorporated land a data center is regulated only as an industrial use, allowed in the M-1 or M-2 districts under SCCC 13.10.342, requiring a use permit plus CEQA review. The county's cities set their own zoning.
Under Title 13, Chapter 13.10, the county reserves industrial uses for the M-1 Light Industrial, M-2 Heavy Industrial, and M-3 Mineral Extraction districts. No data center appears in the Industrial Uses Chart (Table 13.10.342-1), so the Planning Director classifies it as a use of the same general character as a listed industrial use and applies the matching permit — typically an Administrative or Conditional Use Permit under Chapter 18.10. Any discretionary approval triggers CEQA review, and new industrial structures in the coastal zone plus a one-mile buffer face added Coastal Development Permit limits under SCCC 13.20.050. Chapter 13.10 governs unincorporated land only; Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Scotts Valley, and Capitola apply their own codes.
Building a data center outside the M-1 or M-2 districts, or without the required use permit, CEQA clearance, or Coastal Development Permit, is a zoning violation. The county can withhold permits and issue stop-work orders until the project conforms.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Cruz County, CA
Beyond height, fences in unincorporated Santa Cruz County must preserve sight distance at driveways and intersections, keep corner sight clearance triangles ...
Santa Cruz County, CA
Retaining walls in unincorporated Santa Cruz County fall under the same yard height rules as fences (SCCC 13.10.525) and are measured the same way. A buildin...
Santa Cruz County, CA
Santa Cruz County Code Title 6 has no statute titled 'hoarding,' but it controls excessive-animal situations through zoning pet limits (5+ dogs/cats is a ken...
Santa Cruz County, CA
Santa Cruz County Code Title 6 contains no general ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife such as deer in the unincorporated county. The only feeding-...
Santa Cruz County, CA
Cats over six months in the unincorporated county must be spayed or neutered under County Code 6.10.030 unless the owner holds an unaltered-animal certificat...
Santa Cruz County, CA
Pet limits in the unincorporated county depend on zone. Per the County Animal Shelter: single-family residential allows up to 2 dogs and 2 cats; multiple-res...
See how Santa Cruz County's data center zoning & siting rules stack up against other locations.
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