Swatara Township commissioners approve big data center project
Swatara Township commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the land development plan for an east-campus data center despite residents’ concerns about quality of life, noise and vibrations. The approval includes size limits, a 210-foot buffer from neighboring property lines and required noise studies before construction begins; a separate west-campus proposal remains pending.
The Swatara Township Board of Commissioners approved the east-campus data center plan in a 4-1 vote, allowing the project to move forward. Commissioners said exclusionary-zoning rules and Pennsylvania’s municipal planning code limited their ability to reject the proposal solely because it was a data center, and they acted within the required 90-day review period so conditions could be attached to the approval.
The conditions include limits on the facility’s size, a minimum 210-foot buffer from surrounding property lines, and studies of projected noise levels and vibrations before construction can begin. Residents voiced opposition and concerns about quality of life, although one township resident interviewed by CBS 21 said a data center near her sister’s home had not caused problems and could benefit the community. A separate west-campus data center remains only a proposal, and construction on the approved project is not expected to begin for several months.