The proposal would make such farms apply for a conditional use permit. To get approved, farms would need to show that their backup generators minimize air pollution, rooftop equipment is screened and the buildings are energy efficient. The proposal will go before the full board of supervisors within the month. Should it pass, the permits would be in effect for six months while the supervisors consider permanent guidelines.
Internet companies rely on servers to run their Web sites and online services.
These servers can sit at individual businesses or be housed together in buildings called Internet server farms or Internet hotels. There are currently 16 farms totaling 2 million square feet either existing or in the pipeline for San Francisco. Many are in Maxwell's district, which includes Potrero Hill, Dogpatch and Bayview-Hunters Point. Maxwell stressed she wasn't pulling the welcome mat for high-tech companies, but her constituents are already living with much of the city's pollution. A February hearing revealed that server farms use three times more energy than a traditional office, swallowing 10 percent of the city's overall energy usage.