North Brunswick Township Council Rejects Warehouse, Data Center Plan Amid Resident Opposition
North Brunswick Township Council rejected a proposed 300,000-square-foot warehouse redevelopment that included a 10,000-square-foot data center, following intense resident opposition. Concerns focused on increased traffic, noise, diesel exhaust, and the data center's significant electricity and water demands. The council also introduced an ordinance to ban data centers township-wide.
North Brunswick Township Council recently voted against a significant 300,000-square-foot warehouse redevelopment at 100 Fidelity Plaza, a project that had sparked intense opposition from local residents. The decision was announced by Mayor Francis Womack, who stated the proposed plan did not serve the community's best interests. Developer Seagris Property Group had purchased the 87-acre site for $14.8 million in 2023, intending to build a 50-foot-tall, 24/7 warehouse with numerous loading docks.
A key aspect of the redevelopment, beyond the warehouse, was a 10,000-square-foot data center component. This facility alone was projected to consume approximately 20 megawatts of electricity and require 150,000 gallons of water daily for its cooling towers, raising significant environmental and resource concerns. Residents voiced strong objections at a June 29 council meeting, citing issues such as increased truck traffic, diesel exhaust, and noise pollution from the round-the-clock operations.
In response to community pushback, the council not only tabled the specific redevelopment plan but also unanimously voted to introduce a new ordinance that would ban data centers throughout the township. Additionally, they amended the 100 Fidelity Plaza proposal to explicitly exclude data centers as a permitted use for the site moving forward. This action positions North Brunswick as another New Jersey municipality proactively addressing data center development through broad regulatory measures rather than on a project-by-project basis.