Oakmont Council approves data center regulations
Oakmont Council in Pennsylvania has approved a new ordinance to regulate data centers, requiring special exceptions in industrial zones and addressing various concerns. This proactive measure covers building height, setbacks, water supply, and electrical grid connections, despite no current data center proposals in the borough. The regulations aim to prepare the community for future technological and infrastructural changes.
The Oakmont Council in Pennsylvania has unanimously approved a new ordinance designed to proactively regulate future data center developments within the borough. Borough Manager Scot Fodi clarified that the measure is a preventative action, not a response to any current data center proposals or concerns, noting that Oakmont's topography and infrastructure might not typically attract such facilities. The ordinance, passed in a 5-0 vote by Council members Nancy Ride, Charles Fox, Jim Parsons, Deborah Ormay, and Jennifer Paris, establishes specific requirements for data centers.
Under the new regulations, data centers will only be permitted in the industrial zoning district, specifically along the Allegheny River, and will require special exception approval following a public hearing before the zoning hearing board. Borough solicitor Emily Mueller explained that applicants must demonstrate compliance with various outlined requirements. These include a maximum height of 60 feet, a minimum lot size of 80,000 square feet, and a 200-foot setback from residential and civic uses. Additionally, the ordinance mandates a 25-foot landscaped buffer, full enclosure or screening of all ground-mounted and roof-mounted equipment, and a prohibition on detrimental impacts to surrounding properties regarding traffic, noise, and light.
Further requirements address utilities, stipulating that applicants using a public water supply must provide certification of availability, while those using non-public sources must submit a water feasibility study demonstrating adequate supply and no adverse effects on groundwater or surface waters. For electricity, documentation from the service provider certifying necessary grid capacity is required. Any on-site energy generation systems, such as solar or fossil fuel, must comply with separate lighting, noise, and vibration regulations. The ordinance underwent approximately five months of review by the planning commission before its final presentation and approval.