Upper Merion Board of Supervisors vote no on a new data center in Montgomery County
The Upper Merion Board of Supervisors denied a proposal for a large data center in Montgomery County, citing insufficient project details and community environmental concerns. The developer, MLP Ventures, has already filed a lawsuit seeking an extension for the application and plans to appeal the denial.
The Upper Merion Board of Supervisors has denied a proposal to construct a massive 4.6 million-square-foot data center complex across five sites in King of Prussia, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The board voted against the project during a meeting on Thursday, stating that the information provided by the developer was not sufficiently detailed to warrant approval.
Community members voiced significant concerns leading up to the vote, primarily citing potential environmental health and quality of life impacts from the proposed development. They advocated for the use of the space for alternative purposes such as housing or recreation.
Developer Brian O'Neill of MLP Ventures, who stayed through the meeting, has announced his intention to appeal the board's decision. O'Neill asserted that the project would have adhered to all regulations and claimed that the board had denied opportunities for workshops to discuss project details. He has previously argued that the data center would generate millions in local tax revenue and create approximately 15,000 jobs.
The board's vote came one day after MLP Ventures filed a lawsuit on August 12, seeking a judge's order to compel the Upper Merion Township Board of Supervisors to grant an extension for the project's land development application.