Schuylkill agrees to rework data center ordinance
Schuylkill County Commissioners have agreed to rework the county's zoning ordinance for data centers and battery energy storage systems. They adopted a resolution declaring the current ordinance substantially invalid for these uses. Curative amendments will be adopted within 180 days to define the terms for these facilities.
The Schuylkill County Commissioners formally agreed on Thursday to revise the county's zoning ordinance pertaining to data centers and battery energy storage systems. The commissioners adopted a resolution which deems the existing county ordinance substantially invalid regarding the use of property for such facilities.
This decision mandates that the county will implement curative amendments to its zoning ordinance within the next 180 days. These amendments will provide clear definitions for both "data centers" and "battery energy storage systems." The impetus for this action stems from a recent surge in proposed data center projects across the state, including a specific 600-acre development planned for the Highridge Business Park in Butler Township. It is noted that the county's zoning ordinance applies solely to municipalities within Schuylkill County that do not possess their own independent zoning and land use regulations, which accounts for approximately half of the county's municipalities.