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Data Center and other Large Energy-Use Projects
Data centers are large commercial facilities that house and process data for off-site companies. Data centers in the City of San José are subject to a Special Use Permit which is heard at the Planning Director’s Hearings.
Depending on the size of the data center’s back-up power generators, the Environmental Review may be handled by the California Energy Commission.
Large energy-use projects are commercial buildings or facilities that use a lot of electricity, usually 20 megawatts or more. Examples include research and development centers, labs, advanced manufacturing facilities, EV charging hubs, and other similar uses. Large energy-use projects are different from data centers. A data center’s main business is renting server space to other companies. A large energy-use project may use a lot of electricity, but that energy supports the company’s main business, such as making computer chips or other products. Like data centers, large energy-use projects in the City of San José are subject to a Special Use Permit which is heard at the Planning Director’s Hearings. Below is a list of the applications currently on file with the City’s Planning Division. The list is updated monthly and may not reflect current status of a permit or project.
DATA CENTERS: Current Applications on File under Review
listed by chronologically, by submitted date
For more information about a project, please search its SJPermits file # at SJPermits.org.
| File Number | Location | Description | Submitted Date | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CP23-008 | 2549 Orchard Parkway | Conditional Use Permit to allow the removal of 18 trees (10 ordinance-size and eight non-ordinance-size) for the construction of two four-story data center buildings totaling approximately 630,000 square feet, three water storage tanks, two one-story utility buildings, a customer-owned power substation, a PG&E-owned high voltage switching station, and associated site improvements on a 22.29-gross-acre site. | 11/15/2022 | Permit Details Environmental under review |
| PD25-013 | 300 S 1st Street | Planned Development Permit to allow the demolition of an existing 3-story, 58,362-square-foot office building, the removal of two ordinance-size trees, the construction of a seven-story (with two below grade levels) 200-foot-high approximately 238,000-square-foot data center and three 30-story 300-foot-high mixed use towers consisting of approximately 19,000-square-feet of ground floor retail space and 1,164 residential units with one level of underground parking on an approximately 2.84-gross-acre-site, and to allow extended construction hours. | 10/17/2024 | Permit Details Environmental under review |
| CP23-013 | 350 W Trimble Blvd | Conditional Use Permit would allow the construction of an approximately 206,250-square-foot, 81-foot-high data center building, a 50-foot-high water tank, 21 generators, a private electrical substation, the removal of 224 trees (61 ordinance-size, 163 non-ordinance-size, and 325 replacement trees), and various site improvements on an approximately 18.1-gross-acre site. | 6/30/2025 | Permit Details Environmental under review |
| PD25-011 | 323 Terraine Street | Planned Development Permit to allow two development options: Option A the phased construction of a 17-story residential building with 345 units and a nine-story parking garage with 621 parking spaces in Phase 1 and designed for potential future conversion of the parking structure to approximately 210,000 square feet of office space in Phase 2, above a ground-floor podium retail level with 12,183 square feet of retail space; one level of underground parking with automated lift stackers; a privately owned, publicly accessible open space; associated landscaping; and extended construction hours to include Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m as approved under SP21-045; Option B to allow the construction of an 18-story 200’-high mixed-use tower consisting of 345 residential units and approximately 3,740-square-feet of ground-floor retail space, and a 7-story 196’-high approximately 240,000-square-foot data center on an approximately 1.57-gross-acre site. The project would include 245 parking spaces in three underground levels, privately owned publicly accessible open space along the Terraine Street frontage, associated landscaping, and extended construction hours to include Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 4/9/2025 | Permit Details Environmental under review |
| PD25-015 | 180 Park Avenue | Planned Development Permit to allow two development options: Option A - existing entitlement (SP20-032) with no changes; Option B - to allow the construction of an 11-story 299-foot-high data center with two underground levels for a substation and water tank room (approximately 457,125 square feet), a 28-story 299-foot-high residential tower with 391 units (approximately 373,753 square feet) and two underground levels for parking, and an expansion of The Tech Interactive Museum (approximately 70,264 square feet). | 8/12/2025 | Permit Details Environmental under review |
| SP26-016 | 5977 Silver Creek Valley Road | Special Use Permit to allow construction of an approximately 516,000 sq. ft, three-story data center, emergency backup generators, on-site substation, storm water retention ponds, associated parking and landscaping. The maximum electrical load of the project would be 99 megawatts (MW). | 7/13/2026 |
Permit Details Environmental under review
|
DATA CENTERS: Approved Planning Applications
| File Number | Location | Description | Submitted Date | Approved Date | Link(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP15-031 | 127 Great Oaks |
Special Use Permit to allow removal of nine ordinance-size trees and four non-ordinance size trees on-site, three off-site trees, and the construction of three data center buildings totaling 579,000 square feet on 18.56-gross acre site
Power Maximum: 99 megawatts (MW)
Cooling Technology: Air-cooled
|
07/01/2015 | 01/12/2017 |
Permit Details
|
| PD22-001 | 1849 Fortune Drive 2000 Trade Zone Blvd 2400 Ringwood Avenue |
Planned Development Permit to allow the demolition of two existing buildings and the removal of 156 trees (101 ordinance-size, 55 non-ordinance-size) for the construction of two data centers total approximately 522,194 square feet, one approximately 136,573-square foot manufacturing building, an approximately 150,000-square foot 300-stall parking structure, an electrical substation, and up to 15 commercial condominiums on an approximately 9.78-gross acre site.
Power Maximum: 91 MW
Cooling Technology: Air-cooled
|
02/17/2022 | 05/09/2023 | Permit Details Environmental Review Documents |
| CP23-016 | 4160 Zanker Rd 1657 Alviso-Milpitas |
Conditional Use Permit to allow the removal of 79 trees (35 ordinance-size, 44 non-ordinance-size, and 273 replacement trees) for the construction of two single-story data center buildings totaling approximately 397,205 square feet, an associated approximately 98,600-square-foot electrical substation, an approximately 1,600-square-foot sanitary sewer pump station, an approximately 3,000-square-foot storm drain pump station, an approximately 54,400-square-foot water storage tank, and 224 standby backup generators on an approximately 64.59-gross-acre site. The project also includes modifications to the existing Valley Water Purification Visitor Center. The project includes the removal and relocation of an existing approximately 1,440-square-foot visitor center to the rear of the property and the construction of a new 42-space surface parking area.
Power Maximum: 99 MW
Cooling Technology: Recycled water |
11/21/2019 | 04/09/2025 | Permit Details Environmental Review Documents |
LARGE ENERGY-USE PROJECTS (NOT DATA CENTERS): Current Applications on File under Review
listed by chronologically, by submitted date
| File Number | Location | Description | Submitted Date | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H26-005 | 5087 Disk Drive | Site Development Permit to allow the demolition of an existing approximately 162,250 square foot warehouse building and a portion of the existing parking lot for the construction and operation of up to three research and development facilities (total overall square footage of approximately 482,790 square feet) with on-site electrical equipment consisting of a switching station, substation, and related mechanical equipment with a 250-megawatt capacity. | 03/06/2026 | Permit Details Environmental Under Review |
LARGE ENERGY USE PROJECTS (NOT DATA CENTERS): Approved Planning Applications
| File Number | Location | Description | Submitted Date | Approved Date | Link(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HA21-006-01 | 5853 Rue Ferrari |
Site Development Permit (SDP) Amendment to an existing approximately 300,000-square-foot one-story warehouse building (approved with SDP File No. H21-006). The amendment consists of site modifications due to the change in use to a research and development facility, including the addition of backup generators, transformers, evaporative cooling chillers, and a step-down power transition yard to support research and laboratory uses, new fencing, associated site improvements, and removal of five ordinance-size trees on an approximately 17.4 gross-acre site.
Power Maximum: 49 MW
Cooling Technology: Potable water system The Project would use approximately 26,360 gallons of water per day, equal to 29.55 acre-feet per year. This is a very small increase (about 0.017%) within San Jose Water Company’s service area and is considered acceptable for an industrial research and development facility, according to the EIR. |
09/10/2025 | 12/10/2025 | Permit Details Environmental Review Document |
Data Center and Large Energy Uniform Standards (under development)
On June 10, 2026, the City of San José Rules and Open Government Committee adopted a recommendation directing the City Manager to:
- Establish a set of uniform standards and best practices for data center projects in the City of San José. These standards should build upon existing local and state environmental regulations and help mitigate potential impacts related to:
- Energy consumption and energy sourcing;
- Water usage, including strategies to reduce reliance on potable water through recycled water infrastructure, closed-loop systems, or other efficient technologies;
- Air quality, backup power generators and
- Other environmental factors, including greenhouse gas emissions, noise, and water quality protections.
- The standards should also outline a clear and consistent process for community notification and engagement for new data center projects, building upon existing City outreach policies and processes (Council Policy 6-30).
- Support statewide legislation like Senate Bill 887 that supports local jurisdictions in creating cleaner infrastructure for data center development, including but not limited to recycled water/purple pipe infrastructure, cleaner energy, transmission infrastructure, with the goals of lowering environmental impacts, protecting ratepayers, and expanding access to economic opportunities.
The City is currently working on this project and will publish updates as they are available.
Staying Informed
There are many ways the public can stay informed of development projects in our community.
- All applications are searchable by address or permit number on sjpermits.org.
- You can track the status of any project though sjpermits.org and sign up for updates by project.
- Sign up to stay informed of Environmental Impact Reports here.
- Sign up for weekly alerts about new development here.
You may also find this guide on Public Hearings on Proposed Developments useful.