Residents urge strict setbacks, noise limits and decommissioning rules as Swatara Township weighs data-center ordinance

Residents packed public comment to press the Swatara Township Board of Commissioners to tighten rules for a potential data-center redevelopment of a former golf course, urging setbacks, noise limits, water protections and decommissioning guarantees while township officials outlined the legal process and a timeline for drafting changes.

Joe Donado, a resident of 701 South Harrisburg Street, asked whether the draft ordinance includes building setbacks and shared measurements showing some parcels deep enough to place large buildings well off the road. "If we maybe set a setback of say 800 foot," Donado said, "that keeps everything at a good distance from any of the neighbors." The board did not promise a specific setback, saying instead that staff and counsel are reviewing options and legal constraints.

Why it matters: Data centers are energy-intensive, have the potential for audible and non-audible impacts (noise, vibration, lighting) and may require on-site power and water systems. Several residents and outside-model ordinances recommended strict technical standards to protect neighbors and local resources.

Speakers including Jiren Wagner (1210 Highspire Road) presented a consolidated list of model-ordinance measures pulled from neighboring municipalities and regional guidance. Wagner urged developer-paid pre- and post-construction noise studies, a photometric plan limiting light spill to 0.1 foot-candle at sensitive receptors, closed-loop cooling systems and a $2.5 million bond to ensure decommissioning and remediation. "These requirements have been enacted in neighboring municipalities... and provide meaningful protections for residents," Wagner told the board.

Energy and emergency planning also drew attention. Sarah Pinter cited PJM modeling showing substantial regional peak-load growth driven by data centers and urged the township to require higher-emission controls for backup power and to plan for outages affecting medically dependent residents. "PJM's modeling also anticipates that peak electric demand growth ... is now primarily being driven by the development of energy-intensive data centers," Pinter said, and recommended Tier 4 generator standards and emergency-shelter planning.

Board response and process: Township staff and commissioners described the legal and procedural limits of zoning. Staff noted the Municipal Planning Code requires uses to be specified in zoning and that, because the golf-course parcels are currently in a mixed-use district, a data center could be allowed unless the board adopts a targeted ordinance or creates a specific use zone. The board said it has identified two mixed-use locations as candidates and that staff expects to present a draft ordinance for board consideration at next week's meeting. Officials emphasized the follow-up steps: board review, planning-commission evaluation, a public hearing and county planning review, part of a process that can include an approximately 90-day county review once forwarded.

Areas of debate: Residents and commissioners disagreed on how strict any setback should be, and whether imposing a very large, use-specific setback (e.g., 800–1,000 feet) could be legally vulnerable or push other unwanted uses (warehousing) to other parts of a large parcel. Commissioners stressed a balancing act: protecting neighbors while avoiding overreach that could invite court challenges.

Next steps: Township staff indicated they are compiling answers to residents' questions and will present a draft ordinance and comparative materials at the next meeting. The planning-commission and public-comment steps will follow if the board forwards a draft.

Provenance: Public comments and technical recommendations appear repeatedly in the transcript beginning with Joe Donado's remarks (SEG 401) and continuing through the board's process discussion (up to SEG 2060).