Allentown City Council OKs ordinance putting zoning regulations in place for data centers
Allentown City Council adopted a new ordinance (Bill 20) to establish zoning regulations for data centers, despite significant public opposition calling for a 180-day moratorium. The new regulations will not apply to a proposed data center project by Langan Engineering, which fueled much of the public's concern. The council rejected the moratorium proposal but plans to work on amendments to strengthen Bill 20.
Allentown City Council voted 4-2 to adopt Bill 20, an ordinance establishing new zoning regulations for data centers, after a nearly four-hour public hearing on Wednesday night. The decision came despite strong opposition from residents who advocated for a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications, arguing the proposed regulations were insufficient.
The debate gained traction following public awareness of a project proposed by Langan Engineering to convert an existing 224,000-square-foot warehouse into a data center at 2401 W. Emaus Ave. Notably, the newly adopted Bill 20 will not apply to this specific project. Planning Director Jennifer Gomez and Managing Director Frank Kane affirmed that Bill 20 strengthens the zoning code by creating a special exception designation for data centers in General-Industrial and Industrial Manufacturing districts, requiring an environmental review, a hearing before the planning board, and expanded setback requirements.
Councilmember Ce-Ce Gerlach's attempt to table Bill 20 and adopt a curative amendment for a moratorium was rejected by the same 4-2 vote. Councilmembers, including Cristian Pungo, expressed concerns about the uncertainty and potential vulnerabilities of a curative amendment, fearing it might leave the city unprotected from new data center applications. Many residents expressed anger and distrust, feeling the adopted bill's 200-foot setback from residential areas was inadequate and that two zoning districts were too many for data centers.
Despite the rejection of the moratorium, the council announced plans to work with the administration to schedule a special meeting to begin the process of amending Bill 20, with intentions to strengthen the regulations, such as expanding setback requirements. Two major projects scheduled for review by the Allentown Planning Commission were postponed following the council's vote.