The Hanford City Council will discuss data centers at its Tuesday, August 18, 2026 meeting, but an important distinction needs to be made: there is currently no data center project before the City Council for approval.

The discussion is listed under General Business as “Land Use Regulations and City Authority for Data Center Facilities.” The purpose is to provide the Council and the public with information about data centers, Hanford’s current land-use regulations, and the authority the City has over these types of facilities.

Data Centers Are Currently Not Allowed in Hanford

One of the most significant details in the City’s report is that data centers are currently not an allowed land use anywhere within the City of Hanford.

Hanford’s General Plan and Zoning Ordinance do not currently contain a specific land-use classification for data centers or edge computing facilities. Because they are not identified as either permitted or conditionally permitted uses, they cannot currently be approved in any City zoning district.

For that to change, the City would first have to amend its zoning regulations to establish where data centers could be located and what standards would apply.

City staff states that it has not been directed to prepare such an amendment and does not intend to initiate that process unless directed to do so by the City Council.

That makes Tuesday’s discussion significant. The Council could essentially decide whether to leave things as they are or begin exploring regulations that could potentially open the door to data centers in Hanford.

What Can the City Council Do?

The Council has several options.

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It can leave the existing regulations unchanged, which would mean data centers remain prohibited. It could formally create a data center land-use category while still prohibiting that use in every zoning district. Or it could direct staff to evaluate amendments establishing where and under what conditions data centers might eventually be allowed.

The City Council also has authority, subject to state and federal law, to determine whether data centers should be allowed, where they could be located, whether discretionary approval would be required, what operating and development standards would apply, and what criteria individual projects would have to meet.

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Water, Electricity, Noise and Other Concerns

Data centers can vary considerably in size. Some are smaller facilities designed to serve localized computing needs, while large-scale facilities can have substantial energy, infrastructure and operational demands.

If Hanford eventually considers a specific project requiring discretionary City approval, environmental review could examine numerous potential impacts.

The City specifically identifies energy consumption and electrical infrastructure, water demand and cooling systems, fire protection and emergency response, backup generators, batteries, fuel storage, hazardous materials, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and vibration, traffic, construction activity, lighting, wastewater, biological resources and environmental justice among the issues that could require consideration.

Those concerns could become particularly important if Hanford is ever asked to consider a large-scale data center.

What About Data Centers on State or Federal Property?

There is an important exception involving government-owned property.

Federal and state agencies are generally not subject to local zoning, land-use and permitting requirements when using their property for governmental purposes, unless applicable law provides otherwise.

According to the City, a data center proposed on federal or state property may therefore not require Hanford zoning approval, Site Plan Review or City building permits, even though the same type of facility on private property could require those approvals. In those circumstances, Hanford’s role could be more advisory than regulatory.

Environmental review could still be required. A project on state-owned property requiring discretionary approval from a state agency would undergo review under the California Environmental Quality Act, and Hanford could review the environmental documents and provide comments regarding potential impacts.

No Data Center Application Has Been Filed

Residents should also understand what Tuesday’s discussion is not.

There is no data center project, land-use entitlement, General Plan amendment or Zoning Ordinance amendment being presented to the Council for approval.

The City also states that it has not received a formal application for entitlement of a data center or edge computing facility.

If the Council receives the presentation and provides no additional policy direction, nothing changes. Data centers would remain prohibited under Hanford’s existing zoning regulations.

What Happened to the Flock Camera Discussion?

Another issue some Hanford residents have been waiting to hear more about is the City’s use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras.

Councilman Travis Paden previously stated that the issue would be brought back on a future City Council agenda. However, as of right now, there does not appear to be a scheduled discussion of the Flock camera issue.

That does not necessarily mean the issue will not return. It does mean that residents who have been waiting for the Council to publicly revisit the Flock cameras still do not have a specific date for that discussion.

The issue has generated questions about privacy, data collection, access to information and how the technology should be used by local law enforcement.

For residents following both issues, the contrast is notable. Data centers will be discussed Tuesday night, while the promised future discussion regarding Flock cameras remains unscheduled.

Tuesday’s Data Center Discussion Could Determine What Comes Next

While there is no data center project being approved Tuesday night, the discussion could still play an important role in determining Hanford’s future policy.

The fundamental question is whether Hanford should maintain its existing regulations, which currently prohibit data centers, or begin developing regulations that could potentially allow them under specific circumstances.

For residents concerned about large-scale data centers, Tuesday’s meeting provides an opportunity to hear directly from City officials about exactly what authority Hanford has, what authority it may not have, and what would need to happen before a privately developed data center could move forward within the city.

The Hanford City Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 18, at the Council Chambers, 400 N. Douty Street.

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