Council makes unexpected vote on data centers

Olyphant Borough Council in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, made an unexpected decision regarding data center development zoning. Instead of approving a proposed amendment that would have defined data centers and restricted their construction to a specific 1000-acre commercial/manufacturing zone with conditions, the council voted to invalidate the measure. This action, met with applause from residents, signals a proactive but potentially risky strategy by the borough. The council opted for a "curative amendment" approach, similar to a neighboring municipality, Throop. This legal maneuver declares the borough's current zoning ordinance invalid and grants officials up to six months to draft new regulations specifically addressing data centers. The intent is to buy time for the borough to better understand and prepare for potential data center proposals. Despite the borough currently having no active data center proposals, dozens of residents attended the council meeting to voice their strong opposition. Concerns were raised about the lack of perceived advantages or health and welfare benefits that data centers would bring to Olyphant or the wider Mid-Valley area. While the curative amendment grants a six-month window of protection against legal challenges from developers, some council members expressed apprehension that invalidating the existing ordinance could leave the borough exposed during this interim period.