Oakley Moves to Permanently Ban Data Centers After Joint Work Session

Oakley's City Council and Planning Commission came together for a joint special meeting work session on July 21 and sent a clear signal: they intend to draft an ordinance permanently banning data centers from the city. With a temporary moratorium nearing expiration and a 99-megawatt AI data center already approved in neighboring Pittsburg, council members directed staff and the city attorney to prepare draft ban language for a focused follow-up workshop, likely in September.

• Council and planning commissioners signal support for a permanent, broadly worded ban on data centers — defined by use and operations, not just the name
• Public comment runs 5-to-1 in favor of an outright ban, with residents and tech workers citing water costs, e-waste, and the AI speculation bubble
• Building trades coalition is the lone voice urging the council to regulate, not ban, calling data centers critical digital infrastructure
• City attorney outlines a three-meeting legislative path — workshop, planning commission recommendation, council adoption — with a workshopable draft expected in September
• Council members push for airtight definitions to prevent operators from circumventing a ban by adopting a different name or technology label

The basics: Oakley's existing moratorium on data centers is set to expire, and the joint work session was designed to give staff and the city attorney clear policy direction. Community Development Director Ken Strelo framed the session's purpose as presenting staff research and a legal opinion on whether data centers can lawfully be banned, receiving public input, and getting marching orders from council.