Dorrance Twp. supervisors take action to address data centers

Dorrance Township supervisors convened a special meeting to re-adopt an amended zoning ordinance concerning data centers, accessory structures, power substations, and data campuses. The unanimous vote by supervisors Gary Zane, William Wengrzynek, and Kevin Gallagher aimed to rectify a procedural flaw from the ordinance's initial adoption in September 2025, where the full text of the proposed amendment was not published as mandated by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.

Attorney William Watt II, special counsel for the hearing, confirmed that all publication requirements were met before Wednesday's session. The public hearing saw minimal attendance, with fewer than 20 residents present and no public comments directly addressing the ordinance. During the subsequent special meeting, a resident suggested increasing the data center setback requirement from 250 feet to 1,500 feet, aligning with considerations by the Luzerne County Planning Commission, a suggestion Watt noted could be explored in the future.

Separately, on May 6, the Dorrance Township zoning hearing board unanimously denied a "substantive validity challenge" submitted by Brewster Land Company, LLC. The company had contended that the township's zoning ordinance, prior to its September 22, 2025, amendment, "unlawfully excludes data center uses as legitimate land uses under Pennsylvania law." Brewster Land Company has expressed interest in developing a data center on a 155-acre parcel at South Main and Yeager Roads in Dorrance Township, though it has not yet filed an official application for the data center itself, only the challenge to the ordinance.