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Residents press York County Council for stricter oversight of QTS data center
Summary
Dozens of residents told the council the $1 billion QTS data center under construction has disrupted neighborhoods with nighttime lighting, noise and unclear water and permitting practices; speakers demanded transparency, independent data and stronger local ordinance protections.
Dozens of York County residents told the County Council on May 4 that the large QTS data center under construction is harming quality of life and that county officials need to tighten oversight.
At the public forum, Kisha Patel said the project “is not just an inconvenience — it is a direct impact on daily lives,” citing bright nighttime lighting and industrial noise from the site and urging council to hold the developer accountable and provide regular communication to residents.
Why it matters: speakers said the project’s scale, adjacent residential neighborhoods and previously approved permitting mean the county must now ensure mitigation and transparency. Residents asked for independent data on water use, noise and health impacts rather than relying on developer‑supplied FAQ content on the county website.
Several residents raised related allegations and technical concerns. Vladimir Droat argued federal 45X tax credits shifted public value into private capital and criticized the county for permitting the site without stricter zoning enforcement. Steve Penland told council he had not seen adequate notice of developer‑run community meetings and criticized a panel format that requires questions to be pre‑submitted. Rebecca Sitchi said the county’s FAQ pages relied on the developer’s material and should clearly identify independent sources. Stacy Armstrong said she found a permit with minimal water fees and highlighted inconsistent nighttime decibel guidance across county documents.
County staff response: County Manager Josh Edwards told the council that some permits were approved before recent ordinance changes and that council had referred an ordinance update to the planning and zoning committee. He also said lawsuits related to the project are pending and that the county is coordinating what information it can publish publicly while legal matters proceed.
What comes next: Council members said the planning and zoning committee is meeting to consider ordinance changes and that staff are updating web materials; residents asked for clear, independent measurements on water usage, noise and emergency‑service impacts to be posted to the county site.
Ending: Council did not take formal action specific to QTS at the May 4 meeting but acknowledged continued public concern, referred technical and ordinance questions to staff and the planning committee and noted pending litigation limits what can be posted as official guidance.
