San Luis Obispo County has no data-center-specific ordinance. A data center is treated as an industrial use in the Industrial land use category, needing a discretionary Minor Use Permit plus CEQA review. Coastal-zone parcels also need a Coastal Development Permit. County zoning covers only unincorporated land.
The County's Land Use Ordinance does not define 'data center.' Planning treats a server-and-computing facility as an industrial use in the Industrial land use category under Title 22, the inland ordinance. Because it is not permitted by right, it needs a discretionary Minor Use Permit — decided by a hearing officer for the Director of Planning & Building — or a Development Plan for larger projects, triggering CEQA review. San Luis Obispo is a coastal county, so a parcel in the Coastal Zone instead falls under Title 23, the certified Local Coastal Program, and also needs a Coastal Development Permit. These rules govern only unincorporated land; the seven cities, including San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, set their own zoning.
Building a data center outside the Industrial category, or without the required Minor Use Permit and, in the Coastal Zone, a Coastal Development Permit, is a zoning violation. Planning & Building can deny permits, order stop-work, and pursue enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Luis Obispo County, CA
Aircraft noise in flight is preempted by federal law and is expressly exempted from San Luis Obispo County's noise standards by Section 23.06.042. Land-use c...
San Luis Obispo County, CA
San Luis Obispo County Code Section 23.06.042(d) exempts construction noise from the exterior noise standards provided the activity occurs only between 7 a.m...
San Luis Obispo County, CA
Amplified music in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County is regulated under County Code Section 23.06.044, which reduces the applicable exterior noise limit ...
San Luis Obispo County, CA
Unincorporated San Luis Obispo County is served largely by rural and coastal roads without curbside parking regulation; vehicles must not obstruct the roadwa...
San Luis Obispo County, CA
Storing commercial vehicles and farm equipment in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County is governed by county zoning, which is more permissive in agricultura...
San Luis Obispo County, CA
Driveway approaches onto county roads in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County require an encroachment permit from County Public Works and must meet sight-di...
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