In late August, the West Pennsboro Township Board of Supervisors approved a major rewrite of the local zoning ordinance that now limits buildings that house large-scale computer systems to the industrial zone as a conditional use.
Meanwhile, Hampden and North Middleton townships are just weeks away from their next stage of review of proposed ordinance changes that permit data centers but add protection.
$15 BILLION DATA CENTER HUB PROPOSED FOR MIDDLESEX TOWNSHIP
A sketch plan for a proposed data center hub for Middlesex Township could be filed this month or in September.
Middlesex Township could become an early test model on how a data center campus could work in Cumberland County. In late May, township supervisors passed a zoning ordinance amendment that created an overlay district just weeks before a joint venture announced plans for a $15 billion project for 700-plus acres along Country Club Road.
NORTH MIDDLETON
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code requires townships to zone specific land areas for all potential land uses, said John Epley, North Middleton Township manager.
“We currently don’t have anything in our ordinance that addresses data center use in our township,” Epley said. “That leaves us somewhat vulnerable if a prospective developer comes in with an application.”
The next step for North Middleton is to forward the draft changes to the Cumberland County Planning Department and possibly the LeTort Regional Authority for comment before the next planning commission meeting scheduled for Sept. 16.
“Our draft ordinance is 14 pages long, including six pages devoted solely to water feasibility,” Epley said. “We feel this ordinance is a good balance between the potential use and the welfare of our residents.”
WATER WOES
In January, the county released a memo to all its boroughs and townships outlining the planning issues local officials should consider when drafting regulations for data centers. Since these facilities use a considerable amount of water to keep computer equipment cool, a key question is whether the volume of water drawn for the data center would not only deplete the supply for nearby property owners but also cripple economic opportunities elsewhere in the municipality.
Local municipalities seek county guidance on drawing up data center zoning regulations
The Cumberland County Planning Department is helping local municipalities prepare zoning rules to regulate the emerging trend of data centers as a permitted land use.
This is especially true in areas where homeowners and businesses rely heavily on wells. A common element among the draft changes is the need for a water feasibility study prepared by a qualified professional. While the specifics vary, most require that the developer provides calculations on projected water needs, information on nearby wells and streams and a determination on the potential effects a data center may have on water quantity and quality.
Because of its built-up nature, Hampden Township officials were looking at draft regulations from the perspective of redevelopment in areas already served by public water and sewer, said Jamie Keener, a township commissioner.
A certified planner by profession, Keener took the lead on behalf of Hampden in the development of draft ordinance language pertaining to data centers. The commissioners have scheduled a public hearing and possible vote on Sept. 25.
The impact of the water issue could depend on the system the developer wants to use for cooling, Keener said. “If they have a closed loop system, there would not be a whole lot of additional water that would be needed. We do have a component that if the applicant exceeds a certain draw, they will have to go through the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to get a permit.”
In late August, the Hampden Township planning commission recommended approval of draft regulations that would limit data centers to the office park zoning district as a conditional use or the industrial general district as a permitted use.
DATA CENTER RESEARCH
Hampden Township developed its regulations from several sources including draft language in the works by local townships, an ordinance done by Carbon County and a white paper that Cumberland County released on data centers.
“We tailored it to what the needs are for Hampden Township,” Keener said, adding that language was also included based on feedback received from first responders. The proposed regulations would require future data center occupants to work closely with local fire and EMS companies to prepare an emergency response plan.
As for demands that data centers place on regional power grids, Hampden Township received guidance from an information sheet that PPL had released to the public detailing the benefits of data centers and the response by the power company to the trend.
As electric bills rise, evidence mounts that data centers share blame. States feel pressure to act.
More than a dozen states have begun taking steps as data centers drive a rapid build-out of power plants and transmission lines.
Work on the draft language began about two months ago, Keener said. The regulations would give township officials control over the location of data center projects along with the requirements needed for plan approval, he said.
“We’ve had a couple of inquiries that prompted us to get ahead of it and put something in place,” Keener said.
What triggered West Pennsboro Township’s ordinance were stories from outside sources about concerns over data centers, township manager Larry Barrick said. “One of our residents was adamant about it. She had information on Loudoun County, Virginia. She brought it up, and we all felt it was time to make sure that we have some protections for the township, to make sure we are covered.”
West Pennsboro started its review about four to five months ago with a process that included drawing language from a template provided by the consultant hired to assist with the zoning ordinance rewrite, Barrick said. “There were other model ordinances like the provisions from Middlesex and North Middleton.
“It’s a major concern for small townships because of the water issues,” he said. “Most small townships do not have any public water. For a lot of these smaller townships, it’s just not conducive. It would overtax the system.”
In West Pennsboro, for example, a data center developer may have to drill a well or draw water from the Conodoguinet Creek. Then there is the issue of having adequate electricity to meet the demand for enough power.
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