Union Township Adopts Ordinance Imposing Stricter Data Center Regulations
Union Township in Pennsylvania recently approved a new ordinance (No. 197) that imposes stricter regulations on data center development. This ordinance requires developers to obtain zoning board exemptions and comply with specific township construction standards, aiming to make it more difficult to build data centers within the township.
The Union Township Board in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, passed a new ordinance, No. 197, which significantly restricts data center development within its jurisdiction. This ordinance, approved by a 3-0 vote last month, mandates that any data center developer must obtain specific zoning board exemptions and adhere to a new set of construction requirements dictated by the township.
Township Manager Brent McFeaters stated that the ordinance transfers control over construction standards from developers to the township, thereby increasing the difficulty of establishing data centers in the area. The township recently informed RSR Realtors, a firm that had previously sought information on land acquisition for a data center developer, about the new regulations. Union Township has not received further communication from RSR Realtors since the ordinance's enactment. This article, while primarily reporting on the approval of a short-term rental ordinance, provided a significant update on the previously passed data center regulations.