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Council asks solicitor to draft zoning standards for data centers amid regional interest
Summary
With no current borough restrictions on data centers, the Smart Growth committee recommended directing the solicitor to prepare a zoning ordinance; staff and solicitor noted samples from neighboring municipalities and scheduled follow-up work with engineers and municipal partners.
The Smart Growth committee recommended that the borough solicitor prepare zoning language and guidelines to regulate data centers, a use not currently limited under West Chester's zoning rules. Committee members said data centers have been receiving heightened attention across the region and that models from other municipalities (including a Penn Future example) were available for review.
The solicitor said he had been reviewing model ordinances and had joined a regional solicitor working group and a professional conference offering sample language. "Working on it for the past 5 months for many municipalities... I looked at other ordinances as I always do to see if there was a tried and true one that seems to make more sense," he said. The solicitor recommended local tailoring of model provisions (generators, decibel restrictions, setbacks and other operational standards) and scheduled a call with staff and engineering consultants to prepare draft language for the next meeting.
Why it matters: data centers can carry infrastructure, noise and traffic implications (generators, service vehicles, cooling equipment) and municipalities are increasingly deciding whether and how to regulate them locally. West Chester officials signaled urgency in preparing standards to address potential future proposals.
What comes next: the solicitor and staff will prepare a draft ordinance for Smart Growth to review and will coordinate with engineers and neighboring municipal solicitors to craft locally appropriate regulations.
