Residents press county over data centers as Jefferson County develops countywide subdivision ordinance

Public comment at a Jefferson County Board of Commissioners meeting focused on proposed data center development, water and wildlife impacts, and the county’s effort to draft a countywide subdivision and land development ordinance (commonly called a SALO).

"I'm not on either side, but I travel across all over the country," said Caleb Hayes, a resident and public commenter, asking whether any environmental studies have been proposed for data center sites. "I was just curious if anyone has been approached with any environmental studies yet," he said. County officials answered they were not aware of any impact studies at this time.

Karen Reid, a Brookville resident, said she had collected about 35 petition signatures asking for "responsible" data center development and for environmental and impact studies to be required before sites are altered. "My concern is data center development, responsible data center development," Reid said, citing worries about clearcutting, impervious surfaces and effects on high-value trout streams and other local natural resources.

County officials described ongoing work to develop a countywide SALO that would provide land‑use guidance for municipalities that lack their own ordinances. A commissioner told the meeting that under the municipal planning code boroughs and townships are the primary local authority on planning and that municipalities should not assume a county product will fit specific local needs. "The municipality's planning code gives the borough and township the dominant seat at the table," the commissioner said, urging local governments to act now if they need immediate protections.

Officials also cautioned that blanket moratoria may invite legal challenge but that tailored requirements—setbacks, screening, and limits on impervious coverage—may be defensible. Staff said they will present a draft SALO at a future public meeting; timing and the exact public meeting date were not finalized in the meeting record.

Why it matters: Data centers can involve large power and water demands and major site changes that can affect rural infrastructure, natural resources and tourism economies. The county's SALO could establish shared baseline rules for municipalities without ordinances, but county officials emphasized municipal primacy in Pennsylvania and urged boroughs and townships to consider locally tailored measures in the near term.

What happens next: Staff will continue drafting the SALO and schedule public meetings to solicit municipal and resident feedback; interested residents were invited to provide email contact for meeting notices.