Allentown officials delay vote on data center regulations after marathon meeting
Allentown City Council delayed a vote on proposed data center regulations for two weeks after a lengthy public hearing. Residents expressed significant concerns about power and water consumption, noise, and the inadequacy of the proposed regulations, urging the council to enact a six-month moratorium. The delay allows city officials to explore legal options, including a municipal curative amendment to strengthen the city's zoning code.
Allentown, Pennsylvania, City Council recently tabled a vote on proposed data center regulations, opting for a two-week delay to explore legal options. The decision followed a contentious public hearing lasting over three hours, where numerous residents voiced strong opposition to the draft Bill 20, citing concerns over power and water consumption, noise, and the inadequacy of the proposed standards. Many speakers, including Ginny Marcille-Kerslake of Food & Water Watch, advocated for the council to reject Bill 20 in favor of a municipal curative amendment.
This amendment would allow the city a 180-day window to develop more robust regulations by declaring the current zoning code insufficient for data centers. Director of Planning and Zoning Jennifer Gomez, however, urged the council to pass Bill 20 as a starting point, warning that further delays could leave the city vulnerable to new proposals under the existing, lax code.
A particular point of contention is a quarter-million-square-foot data center proposal at 2401 W. Emaus Ave., slated for review by the Allentown City Planning Commission. This project, involving Langan Engineering's Zach Jordan, would not be subject to the new regulations due to the timing of its application, further fueling residents' frustrations and criticisms regarding the city's approach to data center development.