Plains Twp. to host public hearing about zoning map changes to accommodate data centers
Plains Township commissioners are holding a public hearing on September 22 to consider creating an energy and technology overlay zoning district. This proposed zoning change would encompass 592 acres to accommodate potential data center proposals within the township. The action follows a curative amendment passed in April, aiming to address data centers in local zoning laws.
Plains Township commissioners are set to host a public hearing on September 22 to discuss the creation of an energy and technology overlay zoning district. This initiative aims to prepare the township's zoning laws for potential data center proposals, providing a designated area for such developments.
The proposed district would cover 592 acres on the east side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, bordering Bear Creek Twp and Jenkins Twp. Much of this land was previously owned by Red Mill Holdings LLC and later sold to Mudiita Land Venture LLC, a firm that purchased additional land in Lackawanna County for a hyperscale data center project.
Commissioner Dennis Condusta emphasized the necessity of this action, stating it's an "accommodation that needs to be made in the eyes of the courts" as the state recognizes data centers as a permitted use. The township currently lacks specific ordinances addressing data centers and has worked with a Pittsburgh-based consulting firm to identify a "least invasive" land area for the proposed district, which represents about 6.7% of the township's land mass. The public hearing will take place at the township firehouse.