After Allentown residents criticized a new ordinance that regulates data centers, City Council has adopted new, stricter requirements for where such facilities can go.
Council members voted unanimously Wednesday evening to amend the data center zoning ordinance it originally adopted in June.
Anti-data center activists argued that the June ordinance did not go far enough to protect people from the effects of data centers.
Under the updated, stricter ordinance, data centers are only allowed in one of the city’s three industrial zoning districts by special exception only, which is down from two under the initial law. The changes also increase the minimum property line setback from “sensitive” uses like homes, schools and daycares to 500 feet, up from 200 feet.
The updated ordinance also introduces stricter requirements for noise studies prior to approval, and requires developers to submit a detailed de-commissioning plan for when the data center is no longer in use. Finally, data center developers will be required to hold an informational meeting about their plans to the public prior to any formal hearings or votes.
“All of these amendments are needed in this time where we are seeing an absolutely unprecedented rise in these data enter proposals, especially large and hyper scale proposals,” said Alicia Ruthrauff, an Allentown resident and organizer for Lehigh Valley Stands Up.
Data center opponents argue the facilities cause excessive noise, drive up energy prices and pollute local waterways, and therefore do not belong near neighborhoods.
Council members thanked the public for their feedback, which prompted them to quickly draft and vote on the amendments.
“During my six years (on council) I have never seen a piece of legislation go so quickly, in a good way, not in a rushed way. Usually it takes months and months of a bureaucratic process,” said council member and state representative candidate Ce-Ce Gerlach .”It was because of the people showing up. I tend to think of things in the context of other things. It is easy as members of the public to feel like we don’t have power, to feel like no one is listening; well, you do have power, people are listening.”
The process was particularly speedy considering City Council was hampered by a requirement to give members of the public at least 30 days notice in advance of a hearing on any zoning amendments. Zoning amendments must also be reviewed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and Allentown Planning Commission. The amendments received positive feedback from both groups, according to planning director Jennifer Gomez.
The amended ordinance will apply to all data center land development applications submitted after June 24, which is when the amendments were first introduced. However, it will not apply to a proposed data center at 2401 W. Emmaus Ave. in south Allentown, because that application was submitted earlier.
The strengthened zoning ordinance comes as the city processes another application for a data center elsewhere in the city, according to Gomez. She did not disclose any further details about that proposal, including where it would be located.
The Allentown Planning Commission is expected to review the Emmaus Avenue data center plans in the fall.
Reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at Liweber@mcall.com.