West Rockhill Supervisors adopt data center ordinance over public concerns

The West Rockhill Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance on April 15 to regulate data centers within the township, a move made in anticipation of future development applications. Township solicitor David Keightly stated that state law prevents a full prohibition of data centers, necessitating regulatory measures. The ordinance defines data centers, regulates building structures and equipment, requires partial solar power, and mandates public water and sewer services, limiting facilities to the industrial district along State Road. This decision comes despite strong public opposition, with residents expressing concerns about excessive water and electricity usage, potential groundwater depletion affecting well water quality, noise and air pollution, and the impact on the township's rural character. During the meeting, residents cited the high water consumption of data centers, equating it to 1,000 homes daily, and highlighted documented cases of increased sediment in residential wells near data center developments. Despite these concerns, Board Chairman Jay Keyser and Supervisor Hal Schirmer emphasized the importance of having an ordinance in place to protect the township from unregulated proposals, promising to incorporate resident and Planning Commission suggestions through future amendments. The ordinance had undergone a 30-day review, with township planners recommending measures like closed-loop water systems and minimum lot sizes.