Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Milburn committee debates draft ban on large data centers, moves ordinance to old business for more study
Summary
Committee members discussed a draft ordinance to explicitly prohibit data centers within Milburn, citing state precedents and local infrastructure concerns. Members asked for clearer definitions to avoid unintentionally banning in-house server rooms and sent the draft to old business for further public input and technical review.
The Milburn Township Committee on June 18 reviewed a draft ordinance intended to prohibit large-scale data centers within township zoning.
Committee members and the planner said the draft would add an express prohibition and a definition of “data center,” tightening the municipality’s ability to deny an application by raising the legal threshold for exceptions. The planner explained that while data centers are not currently a permitted use, adding a prohibition establishes a clearer policy basis and makes a variance harder to obtain.
Members raised implementation questions: one asked whether the proposal might unintentionally bar office tenants that operate large server rooms for internal use; another urged more information about infrastructure capacity (electricity, water, cooling), environmental impacts and distinctions among types of facilities (for example, closed-loop cooling vs. water-intensive operations). A committee member recommended public outreach and suggested the environmental commission be engaged.
Several public commenters urged a firm ban citing environmental concerns near local water resources and the long-term irreversibility of site changes. Other residents recommended a measured approach that would allow the township to benefit from potential tax revenue if facilities can be regulated to mitigate noise, heat and water use.
After discussion, the committee did not adopt a ban at the meeting. Members agreed to move the draft to old business for additional refinement, including clearer wording that exempts ordinary on-site server rooms used by existing businesses, and to solicit public input and technical analysis before returning the ordinance for further consideration.
The committee said it will take a thoughtful, case-by-case approach rather than rushing to follow other municipalities’ lead.
