Lancaster Township to prepare curative amendment to address data centers
Lancaster Township's board of supervisors has declared its current zoning ordinance inadequate for data center developments. This decision initiates a 180-day period to draft a "curative amendment," which will function as a de facto moratorium on new data center approvals during that time. Other townships in Butler County have taken similar actions.
Lancaster Township's Board of Supervisors voted on Monday, July 20, to officially declare its existing zoning ordinance insufficient for data center developments. This action triggers a 180-day window for the township to prepare a "municipal curative amendment" to address the issue within its zoning regulations. During this period, the township will not be able to approve any new data center developments, effectively creating a temporary moratorium.
The board had discussed this possibility during a workshop meeting on July 13. This move is permitted under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code, which allows a municipality to declare its own zoning ordinance invalid and propose a curative amendment. The township is legally required to enact the amendment within 180 days, after which it cannot use this specific curative amendment process again for at least three years.
Lancaster Township is not the first municipality in Butler County to utilize this process. Adams and Forward Townships have already implemented six-month moratoriums on data center development, and Penn, Jefferson, and Summit townships are currently considering similar measures.