Plymouth Township, Conshohocken-area residents shout, boo, as hearing for data center begins
A contentious first hearing for a proposed 2 million-square-foot data center in Plymouth Township, Pennsylvania, was met with boos and shouts from residents concerned about environmental impact and property values. Developer Brian O’Neill is challenging the current zoning ordinance which does not permit data centers, arguing it is exclusionary.
Residents in Plymouth Township and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, voiced strong opposition during the first hearing for a proposed 2 million-square-foot data center. The developer, Brian O’Neill, is seeking approval for the facility on a 66-acre site, formerly a Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill, located within Plymouth Township but near Conshohocken borough.
The hearing before the Plymouth Township Zoning Hearing Board was frequently interrupted by boos and shouts from the audience. Residents expressed concerns about potential environmental harm, reduced property values, and a diminished quality of life. An online petition opposing the project has gathered over 4,000 signatures.
O’Neill has filed a validity challenge against the existing zoning ordinance, which does not list data centers as a permitted use in the heavy industrial district. While he also applied for a special exception, his legal team argues the ordinance creates unfair roadblocks. Expert witness Richard Roseberry, from Colliers Engineering & Design, testified that data centers share characteristics with permitted uses like manufacturing, which drew further jeers from the crowd. The zoning board rejected several motions by opposing attorneys challenging the application's adequacy and the witness's qualifications, with the main decision on the special exception application still pending.