Centre County Commissioners Discuss Data Center Impacts and Zoning
Centre County officials are discussing concerns regarding potential data center development, including impacts on electricity, water, and community character. Townships like College and Patton are already exploring and applying zoning changes, such as conditional use requirements and buffer zones. Commissioners emphasized zoning as a key tool to manage these developments and address potential issues like noise and utility costs.
Centre County Commissioners addressed rising concerns over potential data center development during a recent State of the County meeting. Residents and officials voiced worries about the rapid growth of data centers and their potential impacts on local communities, echoing anxieties seen in other municipalities nationwide.
Commissioner Mark Higgins expressed strong reservations about large-scale data centers in Centre County, citing the county's already maxed-out power capacity and the environmental sensitivity of its Class One trout streams. He concluded that such development would be