Penn Township adopts rules, restrictions on data center development
Penn Township has unanimously adopted a new zoning ordinance to regulate data centers, establishing where they can be located and setting standards for various operational aspects. The regulations, which include requirements for noise, water use, energy management, and setbacks, were enacted proactively, as no data center proposals have yet been submitted.
The Penn Township Board of Supervisors in Pennsylvania unanimously adopted a new zoning ordinance on June 8 to regulate potential data center development within the township. The proactive measure establishes specific districts where data centers may be permitted—specifically the light commercial zone—and only through a special-exception process before the zoning hearing board. No data center proposals have been submitted to date.
The ordinance sets comprehensive standards for developers, requiring detailed plans for water use, energy management, emergency response, noise mitigation, electronic waste disposal, and thermal impacts. Key restrictions include mandatory setbacks from residential properties, landscaping and screening standards, noise limits, and coordination with emergency services. Notably, data centers must utilize public water for cooling operations and are prohibited from drilling wells for such purposes, with cooling systems required to be closed-loop.
Revisions from an earlier draft include a change in parking requirements, now mandating one space for every two employees on the largest shift plus five visitor spaces, a slight increase from a previous proposal. Additionally, earlier drafts had considered allowing data centers in commercial and industrial zoning districts via special exception, but the final ordinance restricts them primarily to light commercial zones. The Supervisors are scheduled to meet again on June 22.