Mendocino County supervisors move toward data-center moratorium

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors moved on July 8, 2026, toward a county policy that could pause or restrict future data-center development. The action came before any data-center project had been publicly proposed in Mendocino County.

The move is a land-use response, not a decision to approve, deny or halt an existing project. If adopted, a moratorium or comparable restriction could affect how future facilities are reviewed and permitted, including in Mendocino, the unincorporated community in the county. It could also shape future land-use rules and utility planning tied to industrial development. For residents, businesses and property owners, the immediate effect is uncertainty over how a future proposal would be handled.

Next step

The county’s public meeting calendar lists Board of Supervisors and committee proceedings relevant to subsequent action, including a Board meeting scheduled for Sept. 1, 2026. The county has not established the final policy text or whether supervisors adopted a moratorium. The exact legal mechanism, effective date, duration and geographic scope therefore remain unsettled. Mendocino County Planning and Building Services publishes public notices for land-use and development matters, providing the county’s formal channel for notices about later action.