Norristown council adopts data center ordinance
Norristown Municipal Council has unanimously adopted a new ordinance to regulate data center developments within its heavy industrial district. The updated zoning code incorporates stringent criteria, definitions, and requirements for future data center proposals, addressing environmental and nuisance concerns. This action creates a regulatory framework for potential applicants while adhering to state law that mandates provision for legal uses like data centers.
The Norristown Municipal Council in Pennsylvania has unanimously passed an ordinance to establish stringent regulations for data center developments in the municipality's heavy industrial district. Council members David McMahon and Jasmine Griffen spearheaded the initiative, driven by environmental and nuisance-related concerns observed during the national data center boom.
Solicitor Patrick Hitchens explained that the ordinance updates the existing municipal zoning code to define and regulate data center uses by judicial use, emphasizing that local governments must comply with state law to provide for legal uses within their jurisdiction. The ordinance was first proposed in May but was tabled in July to incorporate extensive feedback from the Norristown and Montgomery County planning commissions.
Vincent Poppa, assistant director of the Norristown Planning and Municipal Development Department, clarified that the ordinance does not approve any specific project but establishes the zoning framework for future applications. The revised ordinance includes 14 categories developers must adhere to, such as funding public utility infrastructure upgrades and clarifying distinctions between backup and primary energy generation. It also addresses priorities like air pollution, decommissioning plans, and plume studies. Constituents widely supported the ordinance, viewing it as a proactive measure to protect the community from potential adverse impacts of data center development.