Middletown zoning board preparing for data center struggles roiling other towns
Middletown Township, PA, is drafting an ordinance to restrict data centers to M1 zoning districts with strict setback requirements, also regulating noise, vibration, energy, and water usage. This local action mirrors efforts in other Bucks County towns like Falls, Bensalem, and West Rockhill townships, which are also developing or revising their own data center zoning regulations. An outright ban on data centers is prohibited by state law, leading municipalities to implement conditional use classifications and specific operational standards.
Middletown Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is preparing for increased data center development by drafting a new zoning ordinance. Jim Ennis, the township zoning director, stated that an outright ban on data centers is not permissible under Pennsylvania law due to exclusionary zoning principles. Instead, the proposed ordinance will restrict data centers to M1 (light manufacturing) zoning districts as a conditional use and implement strict setback requirements to protect residential properties, schools, daycares, and nursing homes. The draft also includes regulations for noise, vibration, energy consumption, water usage, and emergency responses, setting a noise limit at 75 decibels.
This local initiative reflects a broader trend in Bucks County, where other municipalities are also grappling with data center development. Falls Township is seeing Amazon build a major AI and cloud infrastructure center at a former U.S. Steel site. Bensalem Township recently voted for a six-month period to revise its zoning regulations before discussing data centers, and West Rockhill Township has already set new zoning regulations, limiting data centers to Industrial (I) districts. Middletown Township officials anticipate further discussions and actions on the matter.