East Hanover Township passes data center ordinance
The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a zoning ordinance to regulate data centers, making them a special exception in the industrial district. The ordinance sets requirements for lot size, equipment enclosure, noise, water needs, environmental impact, energy management, and emergency response. This action ensures the township has regulations in place should a developer submit a plan.
The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, unanimously approved a zoning amendment at its monthly meeting on Monday to regulate data centers. The new ordinance classifies data centers as a special exception within the industrial zoning district.
The ordinance introduces several key requirements for data center developments. These include a minimum lot size of 10 acres, full enclosure or screening of equipment, adherence to existing nuisance ordinances regarding noise and vibration, and the submission of detailed analyses for water needs and sources. Additionally, developers must provide an environmental impact assessment, an energy management plan, an emergency response plan, and a decommissioning plan, along with specifics on proposed cooling methods.
The township developed these regulations to proactively address data center development, as the absence of specific zoning provisions could allow developers to propose data centers in any zoning district. While the ordinance has been passed, the planning commission continues to review potential additional regulations in anticipation of evolving state laws. East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors meetings are open to the public.