Ransom Twp. planning commission discusses data center ordinance

Ransom Township's Planning Commission recently convened to review a proposed ordinance aimed at defining and regulating data centers within its M-1 and M-2 Manufacturing districts. The ordinance, still under development, seeks to impose specific requirements on data center construction and operation, including building height limits, lot size restrictions, setbacks, noise levels, and mandates for environmental and community impact analyses. Commission Chairman James Murphy emphasized that the new ordinance is a proactive measure to protect residents and the environment, acknowledging the state's requirement for municipalities to permit data centers. The discussion unfolded against a backdrop of legal disputes involving Scranton Materials LLC, a property owner that planned to construct a six-building data center campus at 819 Newton Road. In November, Scranton Materials filed a curative amendment challenging the township's existing zoning ordinance, which did not specifically classify data centers. However, the township's Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 in January to dismiss these proposed changes, citing a lack of testimony and evidence from the developer. Following the dismissal, Scranton Materials LLC appealed the decision and filed a lawsuit against the supervisors. Attorney Michael Mey, representing the developer, argues that the supervisors acted improperly and against legal advice, contending that the township's 2018 zoning ordinance is exclusionary because it fails to define or permit data center uses. The appeal seeks to reverse the supervisors' decision, while the lawsuit aims for a declaratory judgment that would allow data center development on Scranton Materials' 251-acre property. Both legal challenges are currently ongoing, highlighting the township's efforts to update its zoning framework in response to evolving land use demands and legal precedents.