S. Annville approves land plans, advertises drafted zoning ordinance
South Annville Township supervisors approved land development plans for DHL and Garman Builders. Separately, the township is developing a new zoning ordinance for data centers, which includes proposed regulations on setbacks, noise levels, and water usage. This drafted ordinance is currently under review and will proceed to a public hearing and potential vote.
The South Annville Township supervisors convened on September 9, where they unanimously approved two distinct land development plans. One approval was for a revised preliminary/final land development plan pertaining to DHL's Clear Springs Logistics Park, which entailed decreasing a building's size and reconfiguring parking and access points to accommodate multiple users. The other approval was granted to Garman Builders for the final subdivision and land development plans for phases 2a and 2b of Wynfield at Annville, a project comprising single-family units.
Critically for future development, the township is also actively working on a drafted zoning ordinance specifically designed to regulate data centers. Resident Michael Schroeder presented several suggestions for this ordinance, referencing a guide from the Chester County and Montgomery County Planning Commissions. His proposals included establishing a 1,000-foot setback from residential areas, imposing stricter noise limits (45 decibels during the day and 40 at night/weekends), requiring detailed reporting on public water consumption and disposal mechanisms, ensuring compliance with Governor Shapiro's Responsible Infrastructure Development standards, and mandating decommissioning bonds and community benefits agreements. Township solicitor Josele Cleary, while discussing a separate rezoning request, questioned the feasibility of some of the proposed low decibel limits.
The drafted data center zoning ordinance is currently undergoing review by the Lebanon County Planning Department and the South Annville Township Planning Commission. It is slated to be advertised for a public hearing at an upcoming meeting, after which the supervisors are expected to vote on its adoption within 60 days or opt to re-advertise it for further discussion.