East Rockhill Supervisors advance revised data center ordinance

The East Rockhill Board of Supervisors in Pennsylvania advanced a revised ordinance to regulate data center development, incorporating feedback from residents regarding concerns such as noise, groundwater usage, and environmental impacts. The board voted on July 28 to send the draft ordinance to the East Rockhill and Bucks County planning commissions for a mandatory 30-day review. Following this, the ordinance will return for authorization to advertise, and a public hearing is tentatively scheduled for September.

Supervisor David Nyman stated that the board considered all comments from previous meetings, implementing legally permissible suggestions. Township solicitor Will Oetinger previously indicated that revisions include updated definitions, well depletion protections, expanded environmental impact statement requirements, and provisions for fire safety, emergency planning, and decommissioning. The proposed regulations also mandate quarterly noise reports, updated setbacks, height limits, and architectural standards.

Although East Rockhill has not yet received a data center application, the ordinance is intended as a preemptive measure, as state law may prevent municipalities from outright prohibiting data centers. The ordinance would allow data centers as a permitted use in industrial zoning districts near Pennridge Airport, with conditional use requirements allowing the board to impose specific conditions on any future proposals. Residents expressed disappointment at the lack of immediate public access to the draft, with calls for more community involvement. A statewide moratorium on data center development was briefly discussed but is considered a legislative matter beyond local authority.