Bethlehem Town Board revises proposed zoning code after State SEQRA law changes
The Bethlehem Town Board approved a 12-month moratorium on data center construction to allow time for new guidelines. This decision coincided with the board's efforts to revise its zoning code to maintain local review authority over development impacts, following changes to the State's Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
The Bethlehem Town Board unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on data center construction within the town, aiming to establish guidelines for future data center developments. This move comes as the board is also revising its draft zoning law amendments, with a final vote scheduled for August 26.
The zoning revisions are a response to recent changes in New York State's Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), which took effect on May 26, 2026, limiting municipal review of residential projects. Town Attorney James Potter and Bethlehem Economic Development & Planning Director Robert Leslie indicated that the town intends to integrate language into its local zoning code to restore its authority to assess various development impacts, including traffic, sanitary sewer and water capacity, drainage, and visual impact. Board member Tom Schnurr commented that these revisions would "close a loophole" created by the state-level changes.
The data center moratorium was initiated by Schnurr prior to the public announcement of a proposed data center project by Guild Venture on the former Kenwood Commons site. Regulatory filings suggest this facility could potentially draw up to 180 megawatts of electricity, although a Guild Venture spokesperson stated the actual power draw would be significantly lower and that it would not be a hyperscale data center. Schnurr advocated for the moratorium, citing concerns that data centers "are not good neighbors" and asserting that the measure would protect the community from the proliferation of such facilities across New York State and urban areas.