Plymouth Township moving data center zoning hearings back to township building, citing impact of crowd noise on capturing a correct public record
Plymouth Township has moved future zoning hearings for a proposed data center to the township building, citing concerns about crowd noise impacting the public record at previous larger venues. The decision follows repeated audience outbursts at Colonial Middle School auditorium, which had prompted requests for quiet to ensure accurate testimony recording. This move has been questioned by local opposition groups.
Plymouth Township announced on August 17th that all upcoming zoning hearings concerning a proposed data center at 900 Conshohocken Road will now take place at the township building's meeting room. This venue change comes after the previous two meetings, held at the Colonial Middle School auditorium, were marked by repeated audience outbursts and disruptions, making it difficult for court reporters to accurately record testimony.
The township justified the move by stating it would "provide an appropriate setting for the continued proceedings and ensure that testimony can be clearly heard and accurately recorded." The township building's meeting room, which seats a few dozen, is significantly smaller than the middle school auditorium, which seats 750 and was nearly at capacity during the last meeting.
Ardis Lukens, a prominent figure in the opposition group "No Conshy Data Centers," publicly questioned the township's decision on Facebook, implying potential concerns from the community regarding the change in venue.