Moosic prepares comprehensive data center zoning ordinance
Moosic Borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, is in the final stages of crafting a comprehensive data center zoning ordinance, with a public hearing potentially in June. The proposed ordinance introduces numerous restrictions and required studies for data center projects, including specific requirements for height, setbacks, noise, and environmental impacts. This proactive measure aims to regulate the industry after observing challenges in nearby communities.
Moosic Borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, is nearing the completion of a detailed data center zoning ordinance, prompted by a recent surge in data center proposals across the region. Council President Marilyn French indicated that a public hearing to consider the ordinance's adoption could occur as early as June 8, following community input during a recent work session and feedback from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs. The initiative aims to implement robust local regulations, which officials believe are currently lacking at the state and federal levels, to protect the community.
The proposed ordinance, which classifies data centers as special exceptions in manufacturing zones, defines data centers and mandates a range of stringent requirements for any project seeking approval from the Moosic Zoning Hearing Board. These include height limits, 500-foot setbacks from residential areas and sensitive sites, extensive landscaping, and detailed studies on thermal impact, heat dissipation, noise, and vibration. Furthermore, it requires the use of best available technology for backup power emissions, adherence to EPA Tier 4 standards, and comprehensive water utilization and energy management plans.
French noted that Moosic has learned from the experiences of neighboring municipalities like Archbald and Jessup, which previously had to revise overly permissive or undefined data center zoning. She also referenced a pending ordinance doctrine, indicating the borough's intention to regulate the industry proactively rather than reactively, with a desire for a temporary moratorium while developing the regulations. The ordinance's restrictions would limit data centers to specific manufacturing zones within the borough. This effort mirrors a similar strategy in Dickson City, where the Zoning Hearing Board recently upheld its restrictive data center zoning against a developer's challenge.