Pennsylvania Township Moves to Rezone Farmland for Potential Data Center Hub
December 24, 2025
East Manchester Township in York County, Pennsylvania, has initiated a formal process to revise its zoning regulations, targeting a 300-acre farm as a potential site for data center development. This move reflects the broader regional scramble to accommodate the infrastructure demands of the digital economy, particularly for power-intensive facilities needed to support artificial intelligence and cloud computing, while balancing community concerns over land use and resources.
Local officials have selected the York Baker Farm, located east of Long and Gravel Hill Roads, for a proposed "overlay district." This zoning mechanism would superimpose special regulations permitting data center use without completely replacing the property's current agricultural designation. The site's existing infrastructure, notably its position beneath two high-voltage power lines, makes it a strategically desirable location for a facility requiring massive and reliable electrical connectivity.
The decision follows a public workshop on December 16, where planning commissioners and supervisors directed the township's solicitor to draft the overlay ordinance. A representative for the property owner, York Baker Farm LP, highlighted the site's advantages at that meeting. The next step is a workshop scheduled for January 20 to begin drafting the ordinance, with officials aiming to propose a draft by April. This would trigger a mandatory public hearing and review by the York County Planning Commission before any final adoption.
This process mirrors actions in neighboring municipalities, such as West Manchester and Fairview Townships, which have also revised zoning to attract development. The push comes as municipalities across the county grapple with the implications of data centers, which promise significant tax revenue but also raise resident anxieties about noise, strain on local power and water resources, and impacts on property values.
Supervisor Dave Naylor clarified that there are no immediate construction plans. "We hear talks," he told The York Dispatch. "Developers calling and voicing interest – nothing serious to this point. We’re just trying to get ready; we know it’s inevitable." He emphasized that the township's extensive experience with large-scale industrial and warehouse projects since the mid-2000s has prepared officials to negotiate effectively with developers for off-site improvements like road repairs and traffic signals, benefits that ultimately aid local taxpayers.
Naylor, in his 21st year as a supervisor, acknowledged the tension between development and community character. "It causes us heartburn," he said. "I would rather be in a farming community, but the notion we just want to entice warehouses to come in to get the money is wrong." The township's proactive zoning effort aims to establish clear rules and extract community benefits for what leaders see as an inevitable wave of data center investment in the region.
Source: yorkdispatch
Pennsylvania Township Advances Zoning Overhaul for Potential Data Center on 300-Acre Farm
