Change would allow but regulate data center developments
Pennsylvania's Londonderry Township is weighing a data center zoning ordinance change.
The township is located in Dauphin County, just outside of Harrisburg. It should not be confused with Derry/Londonderry, a city in Northern Ireland.
A public hearing on the enactment of a proposed ordinance that would allow the development of data center projects was held at the township’s Board of Supervisors’ August 4 monthly meeting, itself a continuation of the public hearing during the July 7 monthly meeting.
The ordinance is intended to “remove provisions related to traditional neighborhood developments and provide regulations for data centers and their accessory uses as part of an overlay district.”
An overlay district refers to a zoning district that can be superimposed on another in order to impose specific regulations and restrictions.
This includes area regulations, height regulations, cover regulations, screening requirements, lighting and sound regulations, and environmental requirements.
A vote on the ordinance was delayed to an unspecified date as the degree of local opposition to data centers became apparent. Concerns about the environmental footprint of the facilities, the proximity of data centers to residential areas, and the potential impact on the general character of the area were voiced.
Other townships in the state have also been debating whether to update their zoning ordinance for data center developments. Amidst opposition, the Board of Supervisors of Dorrance Township in Luzerne County is set to vote on amendments to their zoning ordinance in September.
Most of Pennsylvania's data centers are located in either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Operators in the state include Iron Mountain, EdgeConneX, Ark, DataBank, Equinix, and 365 Data Centers, among others.
