Here’s what we know about a plans for a data center proposed for Bethlehem
A developer has applied to build a 65,000-square-foot data center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Concurrently, the city is proposing a new zoning ordinance to restrict data center locations and impose new requirements, though these would not apply to the current application. The ordinance will proceed to a public hearing and a City Council vote.
A developer has submitted an application for a 65,000-square-foot, two-story data center at 2184 Industrial Drive in the Lehigh Valley Industrial Park I in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Cathy Fletcher, Bethlehem’s director of planning and zoning, confirmed that city staff are currently reviewing the plans. This proposal emerges amidst a broader data center construction surge in the Lehigh Valley and across the U.S.
Concurrently, the Bethlehem Planning Commission disclosed the pending application during a meeting where commissioners reviewed a proposed ordinance. This new legislation aims to restrict data center development to only industrial zoning districts, requiring a special exception permit and imposing significant setbacks from property lines and sensitive areas like residential zones. The ordinance also mandates developers to submit detailed studies on environmental, electrical grid, water, and noise impacts.
Planning commission Chair Robert Melosky endorsed the proposal as "strong and thoughtful," emphasizing the city's intent to establish reasonable standards rather than outright prohibition. A public hearing on the zoning ordinance is scheduled for October 6, with a City Council vote expected later in the year. Although the proposed data center application was filed before the ordinance's potential enactment, the developers have voluntarily agreed to provide studies aligning with the new requirements. The Bethlehem Planning Commission may review the application as early as its October meeting.