More Centre County municipalities aiming for stricter oversight of potential data centers
Multiple townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania, are updating their zoning ordinances to allow for stricter oversight of potential data center projects. College Township already changed its regulations to make data centers a conditional use, requiring buffer zones and compliance with energy and water standards. Other townships, including Snow Shoe, Ferguson, Rush, and Half-Moon, are now following suit.
Multiple municipalities across Centre County, Pennsylvania, are moving to strengthen their local zoning ordinances to gain more control over prospective data center developments within their jurisdictions. College Township initiated this trend, transitioning data centers from a 'use by right' to a 'conditional use' in their commercial and industrial zones.
According to College Township Assistant Manager Mike Bloom, this reclassification grants the township a 120-day review period for any data center proposal, enabling them to impose conditions such as mandatory buffer zones to mitigate noise and light pollution in residential areas, and requiring adherence to specific energy and water consumption standards.
Following College Township's lead, other local officials across Centre County have been briefed on these changes, with Ray Stolinas, county director of planning and community development, advocating for data centers to be located in industrial and manufacturing zones away from residential areas due to concerns over noise and vibration. Snow Shoe Township has already submitted an amendment to its zoning regulations, and Ferguson, Rush, and Half-Moon townships are also in the process of reviewing and updating their own ordinances to reflect similar protections.