Plymouth Township residents oppose data center plan at contentious zoning meeting
Residents of Plymouth Township vehemently opposed developer Brian J. O’Neill’s plan for a hyperscale data center at a recent zoning hearing, raising concerns about environmental impacts, power, and water usage. The meeting was contentious, with residents shouting down representatives, and the project also faces opposition from the governor and local officials. O'Neill has filed a legal challenge against the township's zoning interpretation.
A Plymouth Zoning Hearing Board meeting on Thursday, August 24, became a raucous affair as residents repeatedly shouted down an attorney and expert witness representing developer Brian J. O’Neill’s plans for a hyperscale data center. The proposed 2 million-square-foot data center would be built on a 66-acre site along the Schuylkill River, formerly the Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill at 900 Conshohocken Rd. Attendees expressed fears about potential power and water usage, as well as air and noise pollution from the facility, which O'Neill states would include on-site natural gas-fired electricity generation and a closed-loop cooling system.
The hearing, described as largely procedural, was the first of several quasi-judicial proceedings and was held at Colonial Middle School to accommodate the large number of expected residents. The project has drawn significant public opposition, including a social media post from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro calling O’Neill’s plans "the exact wrong way to do development." The township council and Montgomery County commissioners have also publicly opposed the project. O'Neill, who did not attend the meeting, has pushed back against the opposition, releasing a study on the economic benefits, including $21.11 million a year in taxes and thousands of construction and permanent jobs.
O’Neill has applied for a special zoning exception, arguing that data centers are a legitimate land use and should be permitted in the township’s heavy industrial zoning district. However, the township council contends that a data center is not equivalent to a warehouse, which is permitted. O’Neill has initiated a "substantive validity challenge" against the township, arguing that officials are trying to effectively ban data centers. The zoning hearing board solicitor, David Sander, admonished the disruptive crowd, stating that the outbursts hindered the court reporter's ability to create an accurate record. The hearing concluded without a date for its continuation, though it is expected to resume in September.