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York County moves to tighten data center rules after heated public hearing; council refers measures to planning committee
Summary
County staff proposed making data centers a special-exception use in some industrial zones and imposing new standards on noise, setbacks, water and power; a lengthy public hearing focused on a large QTS project and led council to amend the draft (removing light-industrial allowance, restricting groundwater use, and requiring power/water capacity letters) and send it to the planning and zoning committee for further work.
York County planners presented a draft ordinance on March 16 to impose use-specific standards on data centers, and council voted on second reading to refer the measure to its planning and zoning committee after amendments.
Jonathan Bueno, the county planning presenter, told the council the draft would change the county's use table so data centers would require a special exception in light industrial and industrial development districts and be a conditional use in business-and-technology (B&T) districts. The draft also recommended higher buffers, tougher design standards, limits on reflective materials, rooftop sound screening, and measures to reduce water use for cooling.
Key proposed technical standards included: an acoustical noise study and rooftop screening to reduce low-frequency sound; ground equipment enclosure…
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