Muncy Township Planning Commission seeks data center lawyer
The Muncy Township Planning Commission is working to draft a data center ordinance and is seeking approval to hire a specialized lawyer for assistance. Residents are actively pushing for strict conditions within the ordinance to restrict data center development. This effort comes as a previously enacted six-month moratorium on data center construction is set to expire.
The Muncy Township Planning Commission is seeking to hire a specialized data center lawyer to assist in drafting a comprehensive ordinance. This ordinance aims to legally restrict the locations where data centers can be built within the township, with residents expressing strong support for bringing a legal expert on board.
During a recent meeting, residents, including Amy Ruth-Swart, advocated for a lawyer with expertise in zoning and data center development law. Beth George, a resident whose property is near a potential data center site, detailed a list of conditions she believes should be imposed on data centers in hopes of deterring developers. Commission chairman Larry Spatz cautioned that while resident input is crucial, the conditions included in the ordinance must be reasonable to withstand legal challenges, citing setbacks observed in other municipalities.
The commission noted that potential conditions could include requiring buffers around data centers, such as tree plantings, and limiting building height due to township fire equipment limitations. The urgency to finalize the ordinance is heightened by the looming expiration of a six-month moratorium on data center construction, which was enacted earlier this year.
Rep. Joe Hamm is scheduled to attend the commission's next meeting on July 15 to provide an update on state-level legislation concerning a potential statewide moratorium on data centers.