Planning commission advances several approvals, flags data-center ordinance drafting problems, and moves forward on comprehensive plan outreach

At the meeting, county planning staff presented multiple routine approvals and program updates. The commission approved a Williams Township lot adjustment subject to corrections (title block and easement display) and accepted 11 new subdivision/land-development plans after staff review. Commissioners separately approved several Lower Swatara zoning map cleanups and voted to work with the township on drafting language for campus and industrial map corrections.

Staff also briefed the commission on regional-transportation work: the county adopted an update to its 2050 long-range transportation plan, will begin TIP development for the four-year construction program with public comment next summer, and is launching community-focused NEVI/EV charging planning. Transportation staff said they will identify priority communities and "use cases" for community charging and do outreach to solicit local input. The staff presentation included an announcement of an active-transportation summit scheduled for Nov. 6.

On a separate policy issue, staff reviewed a Gratzborough draft data-center ordinance and found definitional and drafting flaws that could undermine the ordinance's objectives. Staff advised the commission not to recommend passage in its present form and instead offered to help the borough refine the language; the commission voted to accept that approach. Finally, staff said the county has submitted two grant applications to fund a comprehensive-plan update (a $150,000 gaming grant and a DCED planning assistance request) and will run outreach and a visual-preference survey in early 2026 as part of a January'July public-engagement window for a plan targeted for summer 2027 approval.