Officials still revising proposed data center zoning ordinance covering 19 Luzerne County municipalities
News ClipTimes Leader·Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA·3/12/2026
The Luzerne County Planning Commission is reviewing revisions to a proposed data center zoning ordinance that would cover 19 municipalities in the county. The commission held off on recommending the amendment to the County Council, as they want more time to finalize requirements for developer agreements, bonds, and building heights. No data center requests are currently pending in the affected municipalities.
zoninggovernment
Gov: Luzerne County Planning Commission, Luzerne County Council
Luzerne County is considering a new data center zoning amendment that would cover 19 municipalities. The amendment redefines size categories for data centers and increases setbacks and noise restrictions. It also adds requirements for power and water supplies, emergency response plans, and pollinator habitat restoration. County officials are working to resolve remaining issues before recommending the amendment to the County Council. Some residents have raised environmental and health concerns about data centers, and state Rep. Jamie Walsh has provided input on addressing pollinator impacts.