Monterey Park Residents Defeat Data Center in Triple Victory

City Council votes to extend moratorium, put data center ban on ballot, and consider new ordinance

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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In a six-hour City Council meeting, residents of Monterey Park, California, won a series of victories in their fight against a proposed data center project. The council voted unanimously to extend a 45-day moratorium on data centers for 10.5 months, call for a special election in June on a ballot measure to ban data centers, and discuss layering on an additional ordinance to ban the buildings. The intense community backlash was prompted by an Australian asset manager's plan for a 247,000-square-foot data center site with a new electrical substation and diesel generators.

Why it matters

The Monterey Park data center fight is part of a growing resistance to these facilities across the country, as communities push back against the drawbacks like high electricity use, noise pollution, and potential property value declines. The suburb's predominantly Asian and Hispanic residents see the data center as incompatible with their peaceful, quiet community. The City Council's actions demonstrate responsiveness to community concerns over corporate interests.

The details

The 'No Data Center in Monterey Park' group rallied hundreds of residents against the proposed data center, collecting over 5,300 petition signatures and speaking at City Council meetings. During the six-hour meeting, so many people signed up to protest the data center that the mayor had to warn the crowd they'd be there until 2 a.m. if everyone spoke for 5 minutes. The council's decisions represent a 'belt, suspenders and girdle approach' to blocking the data center, according to the city attorney.

  • The City Council voted on the data center moratorium extension and ballot measure on March 4, 2026.
  • The council first imposed a 45-day moratorium on data centers in January 2026.
  • The special election on the data center ban ballot measure is scheduled for June 2026.

The players

Monterey Park City Council

The local government body that unanimously voted to extend the data center moratorium, put a ban on the ballot, and discuss additional ordinances to block the proposed data center project.

No Data Center in Monterey Park

A community group that organized hundreds of residents against the proposed data center, collecting over 5,300 petition signatures and speaking at City Council meetings.

Australian Asset Manager

The developer behind the proposed 247,000-square-foot data center project that sparked the community backlash in Monterey Park.

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What they’re saying

“If everyone speaks for 5 minutes, that's 7 hours. We'll end at 2 in the morning.”

— Elizabeth Yang, Mayor of Monterey Park

“The City Council once again exceeded our expectations, and I'm so pleased with them. I feel so lucky we have a council that is flexible, and a council that is open to listening to its residents.”

— Steven Kung, Co-founder, No Data Center in Monterey Park (SFGATE)

“I thought, 'We have some hope.'”

— Yvonne Wong, Monterey Park Resident (SFGATE)

What’s next

The proposed June election on the data center ban will rely on get-out-the-vote efforts from the community group. The data center developer has also threatened litigation, accusing the city of 'ill will and bias' against the project.

The takeaway

The Monterey Park data center fight highlights the growing resistance to these facilities in residential communities, as local residents push back against the drawbacks and demand their voices be heard. The City Council's responsiveness to community concerns over corporate interests sets an example for other cities facing similar battles.