Bethlehem City Council holds public hearing on data centers and passes zoning ordinance amendments
Bethlehem City Council unanimously approved zoning ordinance amendments regulating data center development after a lengthy public hearing attended by concerned residents. The amendments impose stricter setbacks, buffers, height limits, and documentation requirements, while residents continued to oppose a proposed data center at 2184 Industrial Drive over water, power, environmental and property-value concerns.
Bethlehem City Council voted 7-0 to amend the city’s zoning ordinance for data centers following a nearly four-hour meeting and heavily attended public hearing. The changes regulate data centers as industrial uses requiring special-exception review and add requirements for studies and assessments, larger setbacks and buffer yards, a 1,000-foot separation from residential districts, and limits on building height and rooftop structures.
Residents, including Laurel Chuss, Shelby Carr and Bret Becker, raised concerns about the proposed facility’s proximity to homes, water consumption, electricity use, environmental impacts and potential effects on property values. Council members supported establishing safeguards but some, including Councilwoman Jo Daniels, argued the amendments were not strong enough and needed further work. Public comment and a vote on the proposed data center at 2184 Industrial Drive are scheduled for a Bethlehem planning commission meeting on Nov. 12.