Franklin County, Pennsylvania townships move to regulate data center development
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, adopted an amendment to its subdivision and land development ordinances (SALDO) to help municipalities regulate data centers. Several townships within the county, many lacking prior zoning, are now actively proposing or moving to adopt their own data center ordinances. These actions aim to address potential impacts on farming operations and water management, although no data center projects have been proposed yet.
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, is seeing a surge in regulatory activity aimed at data center development, primarily driven by a lack of existing zoning in many of its more rural townships. The county commissioners recently adopted an amendment to their subdivision and land development ordinances (SALDO), intended to provide a framework for municipalities to establish their own rules for potential data center companies.
Following the county's lead, several townships, particularly in the western, less populated half of Franklin County, are now in various stages of proposing or adopting data center-specific ordinances. Fannett Township's board of supervisors is scheduled to hold a special meeting on May 28 to consider adopting such an ordinance. Similarly, St. Thomas Township's Board of Supervisors voted on May 20 to advertise its own proposed ordinance. Supervisors for Montgomery Township, including Gregory Weller, and Lurgan Township, including Brian Zimmerman, have also expressed support for regulation, citing concerns over preserving farming operations and managing water resources, and are working on or reviewing specific data center ordinances.
These proactive measures come despite no data center projects currently being proposed in Franklin County. Local officials emphasize the need to prepare for potential large-scale developments given the significant power and water demands of data centers, especially in communities that lack comprehensive land use zoning.