Imperial Data Center
Imperial County, California
Description
A 330-megawatt data center on ~75 acres treated as ministerial/by-right and CEQA-exempt; the lot merger was continued by the Planning Commission and appealed to the Board of Supervisors. The developer presented design changes including a 20-foot berm and generator reductions.
Impact summary
Neighbors worry about noise, generator emissions, and traffic; the project remains pending and could come before the Board for a decision later.
Applicant
- Name
- Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing (Sebastian Ritchie, principal)
- Address
- Unincorporated Imperial County, near El Centro and Imperial (Lineburger Road area)
At a glance
- Hearings
- 5
- Public comments
- 43
- Total mentions
- 5
Recorded in the meeting · Board of Supervisors
Last discussed Sep 1, 2026.
Meeting timeline (5)
Board of Supervisors - Sep 1, 2026
Not a new application this meeting, but the court's ruling invalidating the county's moratorium dominated public comment. Supervisors said a new, properly noticed moratorium is being drafted and the advisory committee meets September 17.
Board of Supervisors - Jul 7, 2026
Not a formal agenda item, but the proposed ~950,000-square-foot AI data center dominated public comment, with residents demanding a full EIR, criticizing the ministerial grading permit pathway, and linking the CEQA rules update to the project.
Board of Supervisors - Jun 2, 2026
The controversial data center project near Imperial that sparked months of opposition was discussed extensively; the Board's proposed resolution and guidelines were an attempt to respond, but no vote was taken and a moratorium will be considered June 16.
Board of Supervisors - Special Meeting - Mar 26, 2026
A 330-megawatt data center on ~75 acres treated as ministerial/by-right and CEQA-exempt; the lot merger was continued by the Planning Commission and appealed to the Board of Supervisors. The developer presented design changes including a 20-foot berm and generator reductions.
Board of Supervisors - Mar 17, 2026
The proposed hyperscale AI data center in Imperial dominated public comment, with residents questioning zoning fit, emissions, and county-developer communications. The Board set a special informational meeting for March 26 but took no action.
Related issues (2)
Data center controversy
Residents are upset the county seems to be coordinating with the developer of a proposed hyperscale AI data center in Imperial before public review, and that a county-hosted town hall looked like a sales pitch. The Board responded by converting the town hall into a special evening informational meeting on March 26 where the public can comment but supervisors can't take positions.
Data center moratorium and regulation
Speaker after speaker urged the Board to reject or pause the proposed AI data center, citing air quality, water, lawsuits, and doubts about the developer's experience and the promised $10 billion investment. One speaker asked for a moratorium on new data centers; no board action was taken.
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