‘We will not be bullied’: Plymouth Township pushes back against proposed Conshohocken data center
Plymouth Township Council is accusing developer Brian O'Neill of bullying tactics after he challenged the township's zoning ordinance for a proposed data center. Residents and the council are pushing back against the project due to environmental concerns and potential impacts on energy bills, with a petition gaining over 3,600 signatures. The council states it will not be intimidated into approving the controversial development.
Plymouth Township Council has accused developer Brian O’Neill of intimidation tactics following his challenge to the township’s zoning ordinance regarding a proposed 2 million-square-foot data center. The facility is planned for the former Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill site in Plymouth Township, near Conshohocken.
Council Chair Lynne Viscio stated the township "will not be bullied" and will defend its values and residents' concerns against the developer's attempts to demand approval. O'Neill's challenge to the zoning ordinance, claiming it creates development roadblocks, comes after he previously rejected the township's mitigation criteria for the data center.
The proposal has faced significant local opposition, with residents citing potential environmental harm and increased energy costs. Over 3,600 signatures have been gathered on a petition against the project, and Plymouth Township's planning agency unanimously refused to recommend the plan last year. This Conshohocken-area facility is one of eight data centers O'Neill is pursuing in Montgomery County.