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West Goshen board authorizes advertisement of comprehensive zoning update, adds data‑center rules and short‑term rental policy
Summary
The Board of Supervisors authorized advertisement of a comprehensive zoning ordinance update that adds a defined data‑center use with conditional‑use criteria, narrows short‑term rental language, and designates the community park and adjacent reservoir as MCX on the map; the vote to advertise passed 5‑0.
The West Goshen Township Board of Supervisors on June 16 authorized advertisement of a comprehensive update to the township’s zoning ordinance, a rewrite aimed at simplifying districts, adding a Historic Resources District, and defining new uses including data centers and short‑term rentals.
Consultant Judith (Judy) Stern Goldstein of Gilmore & Associates summarized edits since the joint Board/Planning Commission review and said the draft adds explicit treatment of accessory dwelling units, data centers, short‑term rentals and a Historic Resources District. She told the board staff would finalize a small set of edits received the previous week before the document goes out for legal advertisement and formal review.
Solicitor Kristen Kemp said the draft specifically defines a data center as a use and recommends treating it as a conditional use so the board can require project‑specific conditions. "The primary ones that you hear about are the use of electricity, the use of water, and the noises that emanate from a data center," Kemp said, adding the ordinance includes decibel and vibration standards recommended by outside sound engineers and sets pre‑ and post‑construction measurement protocols.
The board debated how to zone the parcel identified as the Aqua reservoir and the community park. Several supervisors supported changing those parcels to MCX (Municipal Complex) to align park and future municipal uses; others cautioned that down‑zoning private land could limit current owners and might be premature if acquisition is not complete. Staff said the mapping can be adjusted prior to final advertisement if the board decides to do so.
On short‑term rentals, the board made a policy decision to allow rentals of individual rooms in dwellings (not only whole‑dwelling listings) and directed staff to revise related inspection and licensing language in the rental‑license chapter so the inspection regime matches the chosen definition.
The board voted to authorize staff and the solicitor to advertise the proposed ordinance and proceed with Planning Commission and Chester County Planning Commission review; the motion passed 5‑0.
Next steps: after the legal advertisement the draft will be posted for public review, sent to the county planning commission for its 45‑day review, scheduled for Planning Commission consideration in July and tentatively could be up for adoption in August depending on the timing of interagency reviews.
