Resident urges clearer rules on backup power, wastewater and vibration in data-center ordinance

Rob Carlson of 864 Main Street used the public-comment period to ask the board for clearer technical definitions and to point out apparent inconsistencies in the township's proposed data-center zoning ordinance. He said the ordinance "has a big definition of what renewable power is, but then it says none of that is an option to a data center plan," and noted that diesel backup generators are not included anywhere in the definitions or provisions.

Township planning staff responded that the ordinance is scheduled for adoption the next day and that, while substantive changes after advertisement would require re-advertising, the conditional-use process would allow the board to evaluate specifics when an applicant files. The planner told Carlson that "if you do adopt it, you always have the opportunity to amend it, in the future," and emphasized that conditional-use hearings offer a record to examine site-specific issues such as economic-impact qualifications, wastewater connections and energy usage. Carlson also asked for numeric vibration and perceptibility thresholds and for annual or biannual reviews of energy and water use to accompany the noise-review schedule in the draft.

Why it matters: The exchange highlights two choices the board faces: adopt a baseline ordinance now and rely on conditional-use hearings to address project-level compliance, or delay adoption to fold in additional technical standards the public has requested. Either approach affects how quickly developers can apply and what information applicants must provide.