Allentown city council to discuss data center zoning amendments
Allentown City Council is set to introduce Bill 52, proposing amendments to its zoning ordinance to further regulate data center use. The changes include limiting data centers to the Industrial Manufacturing District, increasing setbacks, and adding decommissioning requirements. This follows previous zoning regulations established by Bill 20.
Allentown City Council is poised to consider new zoning amendments, designated as Bill 52, aimed at tightening regulations for data center developments within the city. This move comes as communities in the broader Lehigh Valley region are grappling with an increasing number of proposed data center projects and follows internal discussions and public feedback received during recent Council meetings.
The proposed changes in Bill 52 would strengthen existing regulations, which were initially set forth in Bill 20 approved on June 17. Key amendments include restricting data center use exclusively to the Industrial Manufacturing District, removing it from the Industrial General District. Additionally, the bill seeks to increase the required setback from sensitive receptors to 500 feet and introduce new decommissioning requirements to address the future closure or abandonment of such facilities. The city council also plans to expand community engagement by mandating additional public notice for the approval process.
Bill 52 is scheduled for introduction at a special meeting on June 24 and will subsequently be forwarded to the Allentown City Planning Commission and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission for their review and recommendations. Council members clarified that a data center application submitted in 2025 for 2401 Emaus Avenue will not be subject to the regulations in either Bill 20 or the proposed Bill 52, remaining under the prior zoning code that was in place at the time of its submission.