The Gilroy City Council voted unanimously Monday to impose a 45-day moratorium on new data center applications while officials develop zoning and operational standards.

The emergency ordinance took effect immediately and prevents the city from accepting, processing or approving applications for new facilities. It does not affect an Amazon Web Services data center already approved and under construction in northeast Gilroy.

City officials cited concerns over water use, electrical demand, noise and pollution as reasons for the pause. The moratorium could be extended for up to two years under state law.

Gilroy's action follows similar steps by other California localities. Monterey Park voters approved a permanent ban on data centers in June with more than 86 percent support. Imperial County and several other cities and counties have enacted or extended temporary moratoriums in recent months.

San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton plans to introduce a 45-day moratorium proposal at the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. The measure would cover new data centers and expansions in the city.

Nationwide, more than 300 local governments have adopted data center moratoriums or bans over the past year and a half. Proponents of the pauses argue that rapid development strains local infrastructure and resources without adequate oversight.

Developers have noted that existing projects remain unaffected in most cases, though future proposals face delays. The moves reflect growing local resistance to large-scale data center construction driven by demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.