Small-scale data center eyed for Coventry Mall in North Coventry

A new, smaller-scale data center project has been proposed for the vacant Coventry Mall in North Coventry Township, Pennsylvania. Developers PGOB Coventry Holdings and Pennmark Management Company Inc. are seeking a special exception zoning approval for an 85,987-square-foot facility, characterizing it as a "public service facility" under the township's zoning code. Their attorney, Craig R. Lewis, argues that denial would require proof of adverse community impact beyond normal expectations for such a use.

However, North Coventry's engineering consultants, LTL Consultants, and township zoning officer Cheryl Franckowiak dispute this classification. In an August 21 review letter, Franckowiak stated the proposed use is not permitted in the C-1 commercial zoning district as it doesn't meet the definition of a public service utility. She also cited numerous deficiencies in the application, including missing required information, incorrect plan scale, and a lack of required traffic and community facilities impact studies for the 53.31-acre property.

The North Coventry supervisors are set to address the application at their upcoming meeting. This proposal comes after the township previously rejected a larger data center project and considered, but ultimately decided against, a "curative amendment" that would have imposed a six-month moratorium on data center applications. The township is currently drafting new zoning amendments for data centers, and it is unclear if Governor Josh Shapiro's recent executive order on data center applications will impact this proposal due to its submission date.