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East Allen board moves to advertise zoning rules for data centers
Summary
East Allen Township supervisors authorized staff to advertise a proposed amendment to Chapter 250 that would regulate data centers as a conditional heavy industrial use in specified districts, and tasked staff to incorporate solicitor-recommended edits and buffering/noise criteria.
East Allen Township supervisors voted to authorize township staff to advertise and propose a zoning ordinance amendment that would create criteria for data centers under Chapter 250 of the East Allen Township code of ordinances.
Township staff presented draft criteria that would treat data centers similarly to heavy industrial uses and locate them in the general industrial district, while recommending buffering and noise standards drawn from comparisons with neighboring townships. A staff presenter described reviewing templates from Paradise Township, Palmer, South Whitehall and Jackson Township and said the draft includes specific conditional-use criteria to guide future applications.
Board members discussed siting constraints and regional bargaining power, with one supervisor saying data centers “will probably only ever happen in Hanover and East Allen” and another warning that without local zoning, such uses could be sited elsewhere without local controls. The board also noted recent state-level preemption language that could limit treating data centers differently from other industrial uses, and the solicitor’s amendments were accepted as part of the motion.
Mark moved to authorize advertisement of the draft amendment; Chris seconded. The board held a roll call and the motion passed. The staff indicated the draft will next be presented to the local planning commission and the county planning commission for review, with a likely presentation to the full board in February.
What this means: authorizing advertisement is an administrative step that allows the township to publish notice and begin the formal public-review process; it does not adopt the ordinance itself. The board and staff described the draft as a living document that will be refined as committee and planning commission feedback are incorporated.
Next steps: staff will incorporate solicitor edits, circulate the draft to the planning commission and county planning commission for review, and schedule public hearing/advertisement as required by township ordinance.
