San Antonio City Council Evaluates Three Data Center Zoning Options as Planners Enforce Edwards Aquifer Protection

City Council Evaluates Regulatory Options for Hyperscale Data Center Construction

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Responding to growing neighborhood concerns regarding heavy energy loads and water consumption, the San Antonio City Council held intensive work sessions in mid-October 2026 to update the city's Unified Development Code (UDC) regarding hyperscale data centers. Development services leadership presented council members with three distinct regulatory options designed to balance digital technology investment against environmental preservation and residential tranquility.

Option 1 permits data centers by-right within seven commercial and industrial districts provided they adhere to strict 500-foot buffer setbacks from homes, schools, and healthcare facilities. Option 2 mandates a case-by-case Specific Use Authorization (SUA) requiring public hearings and an individual council vote for every proposed facility. Option 3, supported by Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, creates a hybrid model featuring 45-day pre-filing public notices, mandatory tree canopy replacement, and enhanced disclosures regarding resource consumption.

Non-Negotiable Ban Protects Environmentally Sensitive Edwards Aquifer

All three regulatory proposals establish an absolute, non-negotiable statutory prohibition against constructing high-consumption data center campuses within the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. Representatives from the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) and CPS Energy reaffirmed to council members that insulating the region’s primary drinking water aquifer from intensive cooling tower infrastructure is essential to long-term resource security.

West Side neighborhood leaders and environmental coalitions applauded the aquifer safeguards, urging lawmakers to incorporate Mayor Ortiz Jones' hybrid notification standards to ensure residents near commercial corridors in District 6 maintain a direct voice in land-use decisions.

Zoning Commission and Council Schedule Decisive Votes for Late October

The City Council confirmed that the municipal Zoning Commission will host a formal public hearing on the data center code amendments on October 20, 2026, allowing residents and technology representatives to offer testimony. The full City Council is scheduled to cast its final legislative vote on October 29, enacting permanent development regulations across San Antonio.