Ask the Banning City Council to study data center impacts, engage the public, and adopt clear standards before permitting data center development.

 

Why This Matters

Our community deserves facts before irreversible decisions are made.

Data centers are fundamentally different from traditional commercial and industrial development. Yet the City of Banning currently, as of June 9th, 2026 has no data center-specific ordinances or development standards in its zoning code. These facilities can operate 24 hours a day, require significant utility infrastructure, consume substantial amounts of electricity and, in some cases, water, and may have lasting impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, public infrastructure, and long-term land use planning.

The recently approved Sunset Crossroads Specific Plan includes language that could allow data centers in Banning. While this petition was inspired in part by that approval, it is not directed at a specific project. Rather, it asks the City to establish a thoughtful, citywide approach to data center planning before additional facilities are considered.

For those interested in learning more about the Sunset Crossroads Specific Plan, additional information is available through the Sunset Crossroads petition and related community resources.

Before any additional data centers are permitted in Banning, residents deserve an opportunity to understand both the potential benefits and the potential impacts through an open, transparent public process.

A comprehensive public review should examine topics including:

• Water demand and long-term water sustainability
• Electrical demand and impacts on energy infrastructure
• Noise from cooling equipment and backup generators
• Air quality and emissions from emergency generators
• Public health considerations
• Compatibility with nearby homes, schools, parks, and businesses
• Economic costs and benefits to the community
• Environmental impacts
• Public safety and emergency preparedness
• Long-term land use planning and community character
• Many communities are evaluating or adopting policies to address these issues before large-scale data centers are approved. Banning should do the same.

Good planning begins with good information.

This petition is not about opposing technology or economic development. It is about ensuring that decisions affecting our community are made thoughtfully, transparently, and with meaningful public participation.

 

We respectfully ask the Banning City Council to:

1. Direct City staff to prepare a comprehensive public report evaluating the potential impacts of data centers in the City of Banning.
2. Hold one or more public study sessions where residents can learn about data centers, ask questions, and provide input before future projects are considered.
3. Provide residents with clear, accessible, and transparent information regarding potential data center development before any approvals are made.
4. Develop clear ordinances and development standards for data centers that are informed by the study’s findings, public input, and industry best practices before permitting these facilities within the City of Banning.
5. Following completion of the study, public engagement, and development of appropriate standards, consider whether a temporary moratorium or permanent prohibition on new data centers is appropriate based on the study’s findings, public input, and the community’s long-term interests.

Add Your Name

Banning has one opportunity to plan wisely before data centers become part of our community.

If you believe residents deserve transparency, thoughtful planning, and a meaningful voice in decisions that could shape Banning’s future, please sign this petition and share it with your friends, family, and neighbors.

The decisions made today will shape Banning for generations. By signing this petition, you’re supporting thoughtful planning, informed decision-making, and a meaningful voice for our community before those decisions are made.

 

My Request to City Council

On July 14th, 2026 I sent a written request to the members of the city council, the city manager, and the city clerk,  requesting due process for data centers.  You can find my meeting request here.