JENKINS TWP. — Land developed and controlled by Mericle Construction in the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park would be the lone area in the municipality where data centers could be built, according to a draft zoning ordinance unveiled Monday night.
A consultant hired by the township on Monday revealed a draft amendment to the township’s zoning ordinance limiting any data centers to one Industrial 2 district in the township, all land in CenterPoint where Mericle has already built more than 20 warehouses.
Township officials insisted no one has approached the township with any applications and the Mericle organization was not involved in the process of drafting the proposed ordinance.
Land developed and controlled by Mericle Construction in the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park would be the lone area in Jenkins Twp. where data centers could be built, according to a draft zoning ordinance unveiled Monday, March 30, 2026. (BOB KALINOWSKI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
“This seems like an area where you could put one in an existing building or put one there next to similar building styles,” said Thomas Shepstone, president of Shepstone Management Company, the township’s consultant.
No action was taken on the proposed ordinance following a public hearing Monday night, but officials said the township now is protected by the state’s pending ordinance statute.
The ordinance would create a Data Center Overlay District in 550 acres in the Industrial 2 district in CenterPoint out of the township’s 13.7 square miles.
Land developed and controlled by Mericle Construction in the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park would be the lone area in Jenkins Twp. where data centers could be built, according to a draft zoning ordinance unveiled Monday, March 30, 2026. (BOB KALINOWSKI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Similarly, Salem Twp. created a special data overlay district years ago for 1,600 acres for the creation of a data center campus around the Susquehanna Steam Election Station nuclear power plant.
It’s unclear how many of the 550 acres in Jenkins Twp. are available for new construction, but most is consumed with existing buildings.
Township officials told residents that state law requires every municipality to create non-discriminatory zoning laws that allow for every type of legal business with restrictions.
“Every municipality has to recognize what are called legal uses and allow for development if a plan meets certain requirements,” solicitor Joseph Blazosek told the crowd. “The supervisors are trying to avoid a problem.”
Prior to the hearing, the township planning commission recommended the proposed ordinance increase the setbacks to 1,000 feet from an existing property line and impose strict restrictions on water and power usage. The Luzerne County Planning Commission offered no comment.
E-commerce and tech giant Amazon operates a data center in Salem Twp. next to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station nuclear power plant along Route 11 and is building at least 15 more.
Others have been proposed or rumored across the area, leading to contentious municipal meetings from Archbald to Hollenback Twp. to Sugarloaf Twp.
Municipalities from throughout the region have responded by trying to rewrite zoning laws to regulate data centers before such facilities can be proposed.
Several dozen residents attended Monday’s meeting. Most asked questions and offered some concerns, but there was not widespread heated debate like at other meetings that have transpired across Northeast Pennsylvania.
Most wanted assurances that the data center overlay zone in the industrial park would be the only area where data centers could be built. Township officials said data centers would be restricted to that zone unless another amendment was proposed.
Supervisor Stanley Rovinski thanked the crowd for being civil as the municipality tries to get ahead of the data center issue. He said all comments would be considered before the board votes on amendments to the ordinance.
“We have to digest what was said,” Rovinski said. “We will adjust the ordinance accordingly.”