Orange County, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)

The County's Comprehensive Zoning Code Table 7-9-34.2 governs the M1 "Light Industrial" (Employment) District, the only base district where a server farm would fit. Data centers are not named as a permitted use, so they fall under the table's catch-all: all other uses are prohibited unless a Use Permit by the Planning Commission is obtained, with a required finding that the use is consistent with the district's purpose and intent. A Use Permit is discretionary and triggers CEQA review. M1 buildings max out at 35 feet and must sit 30 feet from any abutting residential, agricultural, or estate district (Sec. 7-9-34.3). Most of Orange County is incorporated into 34 cities with their own zoning, so unincorporated M1 land is limited.