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West Chester committee moves to study data-center zoning after staff flags energy, water and air concerns
Summary
Committee members agreed to further review model ordinances and seek planning‑commission input after staff warned that large data centers can strain the PJM grid, require large water supplies for cooling and use diesel backups that produce pollution and noise. No data center application has been filed.
West Chester staff urged the Smart Growth Committee to prepare ahead of potential data‑center proposals, citing energy, water and environmental risks while noting no application is currently pending.
“A municipality cannot ban the use of a data center,” Aaron Flook, the borough’s director of building, housing and code enforcement, told the committee. He summarized a county planning presentation that warned of increased demand on the PJM grid, potential water‑cooling impacts and noise and pollutant risks from diesel backup generators used for monthly testing.
Flook said the presentation projected a 6.6‑gigawatt shortfall on the grid this year and that large data‑center builds can drive up local energy demand and costs. He also noted possible wastewater concerns when water used for cooling could carry contaminants into municipal systems and described how backup diesel generators, when routinely tested, can produce repeated local emissions and noise.
Staff recommended the borough get “ahead of it” by reviewing model ordinances that place buffers and setbacks between data centers and sensitive uses, require on‑site water storage to limit peak draw on public systems, and set technical standards for backup power to reduce emissions. Flook said the solicitor and planning staff had reviewed a draft model ordinance but found it “wholly inadequate” and recommended significant revision.
Committee members supported another month of internal review and suggested forwarding a refined draft to the planning commission for detailed review before asking the solicitor to prepare ordinance language. Thesa Kearns, a resident who spoke during the meeting, urged relying on the planning commission’s expertise to develop land‑use provisions.
The committee did not vote on an ordinance; members directed staff to gather model ordinances and to schedule further discussion at a work session or the next committee meeting.
Timing and next steps: staff will assemble model ordinances (including items identified from PennFuture and county planning materials), the planning commission will be asked to weigh in, and the solicitor will draft enabling language once objectives are set. Flook emphasized there are no current applications or pending developers for a data center in West Chester.
