Lawrence Planning Board Seeks More Research Before Weighing in on Data Center Ban
The Lawrence Township Planning Board delayed action on a proposed townshipwide ban on data centers to allow additional research into its legal basis, environmental effects and infrastructure impacts. Board members are considering whether targeted rules on power use, water consumption, cooling systems and noise would be more defensible than an outright prohibition.
Lawrence Township’s Planning Board deferred review of a proposed ordinance that would prohibit data centers in every zoning district. The ordinance was unanimously introduced by the Township Council on Oct. 5 and must be evaluated for consistency with the township’s master plan before returning to the council; the ban has not been adopted.
Board members questioned whether the township had enough research to support a blanket prohibition and raised concerns about electricity demand, water use, noise and potential legal challenges. They discussed Clinton Township’s stricter performance standards as a possible alternative, while representatives of The Watershed Institute warned that delaying regulations could make it more difficult to reject a future application. The board directed its professionals to study approaches used elsewhere in New Jersey before its next scheduled meeting on Nov. 2.