Allentown City Council OKs data center ordinance in 4-2 vote

Allentown City Council voted 4-2 to adopt Bill 20, an ordinance designed to establish zoning regulations for data centers, after a nearly four-hour meeting filled with public comment. Councilmembers Ce-Ce Gerlach and Natalie Santos voted against the measure, while Councilmember Candida Affa was absent.

The ordinance creates a special exception designation for data centers in General-Industrial and Industrial Manufacturing zoning districts, requiring an environmental review and a hearing before the planning board. It also sets expanded setbacks and additional developer requirements. Planning Director Jennifer Gomez and Managing Director Frank Kane stated that the city had been working on the bill for months and it was endorsed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. However, the new regulations will not apply to an existing 224,000-square-foot warehouse conversion into a data center proposed by Langan Engineering at 2401 W. Emaus Ave.

Despite widespread public opposition, the council rejected a curative amendment proposed by Councilmember Gerlach, which would have imposed a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications to allow for stronger regulations. City legal counsel warned against the moratorium, citing potential vulnerability without regulations. Councilmember Cristian Pungo, among others who opposed the moratorium, expressed concerns about its uncertainty and the risk it posed to the city. Many residents, though passionate about the moratorium, were reportedly unaware it would not affect the Emaus Avenue project and felt the adopted bill's setbacks were insufficient. The council has canceled its regular July 1 meeting but plans a special session to discuss amendments to strengthen Bill 20.