Middletown, Pennsylvania, Considers New Data Center Zoning Regulations
Middletown, Pennsylvania officials are actively developing new zoning regulations for potential data centers, addressing concerns such as size, noise, water, and energy use. This proactive measure is being taken despite no specific data center proposals currently being on the table, aiming to establish restrictive rules for future developments. Supervisors seek to make these rules as legally stringent as possible for the benefit of residents.
Middletown officials are currently reviewing a policy memo drafted by zoning director Jim Ennis to establish new zoning rules for potential data center developments. The proactive move aims to update the town's ordinances to adequately regulate data centers before any applications are submitted, as existing rules are considered insufficient.
The proposed regulations cover various aspects, including data center size, height, noise levels, water consumption, and energy use. Initial recommendations, partly derived from current town ordinances and input from the Bucks County Planning Commission and Montgomery County, suggest a sound maximum of 75 decibels, which Ennis plans to review following supervisor feedback. Ennis is also exploring implementing these rules as a conditional use within light manufacturing districts.
Middletown supervisors expressed reservations about the prospect of data centers in their town, with Supervisor Christian Gallardo advising Ennis to create the most legally restrictive rules possible for residents. Supervisor Ryan Leighton clarified that while the township cannot outright ban a specific type of development, state-level data center moratorium proposals are currently under consideration in the Pennsylvania legislature, though none are yet enacted. The discussion comes as an Amazon data center in neighboring Falls faces opposition, although no specific data center proposals are currently on the table for Middletown.