Developers issue challenge to data center ordinance - - Lewistown
Data center developers have filed a legal challenge against Granville Township's recently adopted data center ordinance. Concurrently, the Granville Township Board of Supervisors held a special meeting to discuss proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance, addressing conditional use requirements, traffic impacts, and other regulations, prompting further resident concerns.
LEWISTOWN -- Data center developers have filed a legal challenge, described as a "common pleas report," to overturn a recently adopted data center ordinance in Granville Township. Solicitor Fred Lighty confirmed the challenge during a special meeting of the Granville Township Board of Supervisors. This legal action comes as the township actively discusses amendments to its zoning ordinance.
Approximately 150 residents attended the meeting, where discussions focused on modifying definitions and basic district regulations within the ordinance, particularly regarding data centers as conditional uses in Industrial Districts. Proposed changes include a revised approach to evaluating "major traffic impact" projects, allowing the Board of Supervisors to deny applications if traffic impacts cannot be sufficiently mitigated. Township Engineer Brian Bloom presented calculations indicating that a data center would generate sound equivalent to rustling leaves at property lines, even with increased setbacks.
Residents, including Cori Hockenberry, voiced strong opposition to a provision removed by Lighty that would have required developers to remove buildings if they sold their land. Hockenberry also requested an environmental impact assessment, which Lighty stated falls under the Department of Environmental Protection's purview, though Hockenberry expressed distrust in the department's ability to conduct it fairly. Not all proposed amendments were finalized by press time, with ongoing efforts to refine the ordinance.