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Township supervisors send joint data‑center ordinance to jointure for public hearing amid resident concern
Summary
On June 24 the New Town Township Supervisors authorized sending a joint zoning amendment that would add 'data center' as a permitted use (minimum lot size 25 acres) to the jointure for advertising a public hearing. Supervisors and residents debated whether the 25‑acre threshold and the jointure process sufficiently protect New Town.
The New Town Township Supervisors on June 24 voted to send a joint zoning ordinance that would add "data center" to permitted uses to the jointure for advertising a public hearing, setting up a multi‑township public review.
The planning commission had recommended the amendment, which sets a 25‑acre minimum lot size and standards for noise, lighting and setbacks. The ordinance as drafted would limit permitted data centers to the QAA (quarry/agricultural) district in Writtown Township, the solicitor said.
“The ordinance itself limits it to Writtown,” the solicitor told supervisors, noting the draft mirrors those being considered elsewhere in the county and that the jointure solicitor believes the language is legally consistent with other Commonwealth drafts.
Board members and residents pressed for stronger protections. One supervisor said the 25‑acre threshold is low compared with model ordinances some groups recommend and urged that the jointure and New Town pursue a follow‑up, stricter version after securing short‑term protections. A public commenter said she didn’t understand why 25 acres was chosen and urged greater setbacks and sound limits.
Supervisors discussed the risk that a well‑funded developer might challenge local zoning, noting that legal exposure could arise if a use is permitted in a joint zoning district even if there is little practical site availability in New Town. The solicitor and planning staff countered that the jointure’s map and districting limit where a data center could locate, although they acknowledged additional safeguards could be drafted in a later (V2) amendment.
After public comment and discussion the board voted to forward the ordinance to the jointure to authorize a public hearing. The joint public hearing across the three townships is the next procedural step; the board did not enumerate an exact vote tally in the record beyond announcing the motion passed.
The jointure public hearing will allow residents in New Town, Upper Mayfield and Writtown to testify before the ordinance moves toward adoption.
