In a city that has seen some of the most active new data center construction, a move is on to toughen-up regulations for the building of such future facilities.
Members of the Tucson Planning Commission are currently putting together what they hope will be a comprehensive guideline that will expand public meeting notifications of a proposed center to all residents within half a mile of a proposed project.
As proposed, any projects larger than 25,000 square feet or in excess of 20 megawatts of energy demand will also be required to have sound walls or roof screens to reduce noise; along with a backup battery mechanism to handle power disruptions; and proof that applicants have an adequate energy supply for a project at the time of application.
According to a city notice, landscape buffers of up to 40 feet are also being considered, as well as the creation of greater onsite space that will result in the revegetation of disturbed lands with native plants.
A final adoption of the new guidelines is expected to be approved by the Tucson City Council later this year.
The guideline comes as work was launched in April on Project Blue, a $3.6 billion hyperscale data center to be built on nearly 300 acres just to the north of the Pima County Fairgrounds.
The project sparked opposition not only because of its size and potential water usage, but also for what some activists charged was a problematic zoning approval process.
Tucson currently has half a dozen data centers ranging in size from around 3,200 square feet to upwards of 39,000 square feet.
June 8, 2026
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
