New Britain Township begins crafting data center rules before proposals arrive
New Britain Township, Pennsylvania, is proactively developing a new zoning ordinance to regulate future data centers before any proposals arrive. Officials are addressing concerns like noise, water usage, and electricity demand, having declared the current ordinance invalid for lacking data center definitions. The township has initiated a six-month curative amendment process to establish comprehensive standards for data center development.
New Britain Township officials in Pennsylvania have begun crafting new zoning rules to regulate future data center developments, taking a proactive stance before any proposals are submitted. Following a presentation by Zoning Officer Doreen Curtin, the Board of Supervisors voted to declare the township's current zoning ordinance substantively invalid due to its failure to define or regulate data centers. This action initiates a six-month curative amendment process, allowing the township to develop a comprehensive ordinance.
Township Manager Nick Valla emphasized that this move is not an invitation for data center development but rather an effort to establish clear parameters and standards for what future facilities would need to look like if they were to come to New Britain. Curtin highlighted key concerns for municipalities, including high electricity demand, significant water consumption, and persistent noise from cooling systems and generators. While utilities like PECO and river basin commissions are addressing electricity and water management, Curtin noted that noise mitigation largely falls to local governments, recommending the township consider hiring an acoustical engineer.
The new ordinance will consider various aspects such as whether data centers should be permitted by right or special exception, appropriate setbacks and lot sizes, building heights, environmental buffering, utility infrastructure, security, and public transparency. Township Solicitor Scott Holbert recommended the curative amendment process to allow for thorough study, noting that there is no one-size-fits-all model ordinance. He also cautioned that while the township can regulate data centers, it cannot effectively prohibit a lawful land use by making development impossible, referencing ongoing discussions in the Pennsylvania Senate and House about a potential state-level moratorium on data centers.