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Planning commission reviews draft data‑center ordinance for industrial district; members flag noise, generators and decommissioning
Summary
Staff circulated a draft ordinance to permit data centers in the industrial district, with model provisions for noise, setbacks and decommissioning. Commissioners and residents urged strict generator/noise limits and asked staff to refine definitions and environmental protections before a recommendation.
Commission staff presented a draft ordinance on May 4 to allow and regulate data centers in the borough's industrial district, asking the planning commission to be prepared to recommend the ordinance at next week's meeting.
Staff said the draft draws on model guidance from county planning commissions and includes technical provisions about noise limits, setbacks, decommissioning and screening. "We got direction to draft an ordinance to permit them in the industrial district," staff said, adding that many provisions are technical and that county guidance was used as a starting point.
Commissioners and residents voiced multiple concerns about operational impacts. Members urged the draft to address emergency generators and associated noise and vibration, air‑pollution and the potential for many diesel generators on a single property. One commissioner stressed that vibration from equipment and generators can be significant and urged explicit limits and setbacks for generators. Another noted that decommissioning requirements were included in the draft but said bankruptcy or closure could still leave large vacant buildings if the ordinance does not require adequate site‑rehabilitation plans.
Staff noted the draft already includes decommissioning language and noise standards and said they would add clarifying definitions for generators, vibration, and cumulative noise from multiple sources. Commissioners asked staff to refine the draft's technical definitions, ensure consistency with state and regional electric‑grid (PJM) constraints, and provide a clear map of where the borough intends to permit data centers.
Next steps: staff asked commissioners to review the 15‑page draft in detail so the commission can vote on a recommendation at the next meeting. Commission members requested additional language on generator siting, noise/vibration metrics, and environmental protections be added before a final recommendation to council.
