Fremont’s proposed Data Center Standards Ordinance is an opportunity to regulate these facilities according to their function and community impacts. The planning commission will hold a public hearing on the ordinance Nov. 19, 2026, at 7pm in the city council chambers.
Residents should urge the city to adopt clear, enforceable standards. Fremont’s general plan predates today’s large AI data centers and was not designed for their extraordinary resource demands. Planning rules should be updated accordingly.
Some jurisdictions classify data centers as office, light-industrial or R&D uses, though these categories are associated with substantial skilled employment while data centers have minimal on-site staffing. Fremont should not repeat that mistake. Facilities using 25 megawatts or more for computing should not be treated as ordinary offices, R&D labs or light-industrial buildings simply because of their labels.
Fremont should define data centers by their function, which is to house equipment for data storage and computing, and their maximum electrical load. The definition should account for full build-out, all tenants and related campus infrastructure. Power use better reflects a facility’s scale and potential impacts than building size alone.
Clear definitions will help the city assess electricity and water needs, generator emissions, noise and cumulative effects, while ensuring appropriate public review and environmental analysis. The city should also explain the scope and basis of any proposed CEQA exemption for the code amendments.
Fremont can welcome investment while protecting environmental quality and neighborhoods.
William Yragui
Co-founder, Mission Peak Conservancy
