Public weighs in on Ransom Twp. data center ordinance
Ransom Township held a public hearing on a new zoning ordinance to regulate data center development, with residents expressing concerns about power and water usage. The proposed ordinance would make data centers conditional uses and comes amidst ongoing legal challenges from Scranton Materials regarding a previously denied zoning change. Officials have not yet set a date to vote on adopting the ordinance.
Ransom Township is considering a new zoning ordinance designed to regulate data center development, drawing significant public attention during a recent hearing. Approximately 40 residents attended, acknowledging the Ransom Township Board of Supervisors' proactive efforts but also voicing worries about potential future projects, specifically their demands on power and water resources. Resident Cheryl Macheska questioned if the ordinance addresses power plants, referencing a proposed facility by Renewable Energy Aggregators Inc. related to reservoirs.
The proposed ordinance designates data centers as conditional uses, requiring specific township approval and adherence to various conditions. These include requirements for buffering, fencing, wastewater management, air quality, noise, and lighting. The Lackawanna County Planning Commission has reviewed the 40-page document. Township Solicitor William Rinaldi clarified that while the township cannot ban lawful land uses outright under state law, it can regulate them, and this ordinance aims to fill existing gaps in zoning for data centers.
This legislative move follows a prior proposal from Scranton Materials for a data center campus on their Newton Road property. Scranton Materials filed a curative amendment challenging the existing zoning, which the board dismissed in January 2023. The developer has since appealed this decision and initiated a second, ongoing lawsuit against the board. Separately, Mudiita Land Venture LLC recently acquired over 500 acres in the township for a hyperscale data center campus, though no formal application has been filed.
Supervisors have indicated that a vote on adopting the new ordinance has not yet been scheduled, as they plan further review.