SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio City Council wants to look at changing its development code to get a handle on the boom of data centers.
Data centers, which house the computer systems that power our online activities and services, have garnered controversy for reports of their extensive use of water and energy resources.
During a discussion about their growth this week, CPS Energy and San Antonio Water System officials told council members there are more than 20 data centers already in the area, and more are looking to move in.
Neither utility appeared to be overly concerned with the boom, though.
Donovan Burton, SAWS’ senior vice president of water resources and governmental relations, called it a “highly manageable risk,” while CPS Energy CEO Rudy Garza confirmed the city is in a position to support moving more data centers to San Antonio “if we all stay on the page on what we’re trying to accomplish.”
City Development Services Director Amin Tohmaz told council members the city’s current regulations allow data centers in almost every zoning category, except residential.
Councilman Edward Mungia (D4) told KSAT that restricting the zoning would help the city council manage the expansion of data centers.
“Managing where they are in, as far as closer proximity to residential houses, is important. I think that’s kind of the more topic and top-of-mind for residents,” he said, noting that any on-site power generation at the facilities can be noisy.
“I think that’s a concern for residents, is having these types of large buildings close to them, where we wouldn’t normally allow something that large to be that close to them."
Possible updates to the city’s unified development code could include narrower limitations and requiring a 1,000 foot buffer from homes, parks, hospitals, or other recommended buildings.
Tohmaz recommended following the regular, five-year amendment cycle for the UDC, which is scheduled to begin again in January 2027. Internal reviews will start in mid-2026, however.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said Wednesday she was supportive of an expedited review of possible amendments.
“These companies are not waiting on our timelines. So we should, again, proactively help ourselves, And I think we do that by reviewing amendments sooner rather than rather than later,” Jones said.
KSAT has been following the boom of data centers in South Texas. Read more of our reporting below: