The one year ban, passed by City Council on Tuesday, gives the city time to study data centers’ impact on natural resources, public utilities, and jobs. But Tuesday’s Council meeting surfaced concerns that data centers have become a punching bag for broader anger over AI.

Councilmember Debra Juarez said the issue has united the council and the community.

“We certainly know when there’s an existential threat… not only to our city, our state, or our country, but to our world,” she said.

The rise of AI has led to a boom in data center construction, mostly in rural areas. But companies say they need data centers close to where people are so that the data can reach them faster.