The proposed data center project at the former Air Products headquarters site in Upper Macungie Township will mean a lot of work for the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission in upcoming weeks.
At Tuesday’s Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting, LVPC Executive Director Becky Bradley laid out what lays ahead for the organization regarding the proposal to build three data centers totaling 2.6 million square feet between Hamilton Boulevard and Cetronia Road.
Bradley said the LVPC received the plans from Air Products — which owns the 194-acre parcel — last week and considered it a land use of regional significance. She and LVPC Chief Community and Regional Planner Jillian Seitz have met parties with significant investment in the project, including the township, Air Products, power supplier PPL and the Lehigh County Authority, which will supply water.
She said she hopes to have a presentation ready for the committee in December.
“We coordinate with all of the regulatory parties, so we’re in the process of doing that now,” Bradley said. “The other thing that we’re going to do is to invite some partners to the table that we don’t normally bring into this because of what data centers actually are and what they actually need, which includes PPL, who is the electric services provider in this location.”
Meanwhile, the committee advanced its review to update Upper Macungie’s zoning ordinance regarding data centers. The draft letter to the township will have to be approved by the full LVPC at Thursday’s meeting before being sent.
During discussion, LVPC Chair Christopher Amato was concerned about the recommendation for a 200-foot setback to the buildings from the edge of the property. He said it may be insufficient because of evidence linking noise of more than 60 decibels to increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Amato also wondered if the data center operator would be self-sustaining for its electrical needs.
“Will they be putting in their own substation that they pay for themselves?” Amato said. “Or will that be something that the public will have to foot the bill for?”