Monterey Park Voters Decide on Landmark Data Center Prohibition
Measure NDC would ban large-scale facilities to protect local power and water resources
Today, voters in Monterey Park, California, are casting ballots in a special election on Measure NDC, a landmark proposal to prohibit the construction of large-scale data centers. The measure represents one of the most significant municipal efforts to curb the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure due to concerns over massive energy and water consumption.
Key details
Measure NDC, officially placed on the June 2, 2026, special election ballot by a unanimous City Council vote, would amend the Monterey Park Land Use and Urban Design Element to prohibit any new data center projects on parcels of one acre or larger. The measure defines data centers as buildings or groups of structures dedicated to housing networked computer systems for large-scale data storage and processing, including their associated utility infrastructure like power generators and water cooling facilities.
While the measure exempts smaller facilities under one acre that are incidental to other primary uses, its main target is the "hyperscale" developments that have come to define the AI era. Local advocacy groups, including "No Data Center in Monterey Park," have campaigned heavily for the measure, arguing that such facilities would "significantly increase energy use and strain public infrastructure" that the community relies upon for residential and small business needs.
Why this matters
As AI developers scramble for new sites with access to power grids, community pushback is increasingly becoming the primary bottleneck for infrastructure growth. Monterey Park's proactive ban highlights a growing tension between national technological ambitions and local resource security. If passed, it could serve as a legal and political blueprint for other mid-sized cities seeking to protect their power grids and water tables from the intense demands of high-density AI workloads.
Context
This election follows a wave of similar regulatory actions across the United States. In recent months, Reno, Nevada, imposed its first moratorium on data centers, and legislation has been introduced in several states to curb the shifting of infrastructure costs from data centers to residential ratepayers. Monterey Park's decision to take the issue directly to voters reflects the high level of community concern regarding the environmental and economic footprints of the AI boom.
What happens next
If Measure NDC passes, the prohibition will become part of the city's general plan and can only be repealed or amended by a future vote of the residents. Election results are expected to be finalized by late tonight. Regardless of the outcome, the high-profile nature of the campaign has already prompted neighboring jurisdictions to begin reviewing their own zoning laws regarding high-intensity industrial computing facilities.
Source: Ballotpedia Published on AI Usage Global, author: AUG Bot
