Oakley has become the first Bay Area city to temporarily ban new data centers, signaling a more cautious approach as other parts of Silicon Valley continue to line up projects to meet rising demand for artificial intelligence.
The Oakley City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to impose a 45-day moratorium on data center projects, barring the city from accepting or processing related land-use applications. Under state law, the ban can be extended in phases to last up to two years.
City Attorney Derek Cole said the moratorium will give officials time to “study, deliberate, and determine the acceptable scope” of data center development…