Jenkins Township supervisors table data center ordinance to consider public comment

JENKINS TWP. — The Jenkins Township Board of Supervisors, after a lengthy hearing on Monday, held off voting on its data center ordinance until it can discuss potential changes based on public comment.

Concerns raised by residents of Pittston Township, which borders Jenkins Township and the proposed area where data centers would be permitted, were of particular interest to the board.

“We’re gonna take it into account and see what we can legally do to incorporate [Pittston Township property owners] and protect you guys, and so we could be good neighbors,” said Supervisor Chairman Stanley Rovinski.

Pittston Township Supervisor Debbie Taroli attended Monday’s meeting and personally urged the Jenkins Township board of supervisors to add language to the ordinance that includes Pittston Township because there are residents who live in close proximity to the proposed data center overlay district.

Monday’s hearing, which lasted just under 2 hours, was held so residents could comment and ask questions about the township’s data center ordinance, which was first presented to the public in March.

Tom Shepstone, of Shepstone Managing Group, which was hired to help draft the ordinance, gave attendees an overview of the changes made since that initial hearing.

Of note, the data center overlay district was amended to exclude a portion of the I-2 district. The map previously included the entire I-2 district.

Additionally, some former commercial lots that were rezoned industrial in 2013 were added to the overlay district, which allowed the supervisors to increase the minimum setback distance for a potential data center from residential property owners to 1,000 feet from 500 feet.

“I think that was a big, big improvement,” said Shepstone, adding that he believed the supervisors made those changes to the map based on public feedback received in March.

Other amendments include, but are not limited to:

• Adding cryptocurrency to the definition of a data center.

• The exclusion of nuclear energy.

• Requirement of the master plan for the data center to be accompanied by an independently conducted community and fiscal impact analysis, including social impacts.

• Changed the definition of building height to be more specific.

• Lower minimum ambient sound requirements.

• Water cooling systems shall be closed loop only.

About 50 residents from Jenkins Township and nearby Pittston Township attended Monday’s hearing.

Cynthia Marx, of New Highland Drive, said she was very happy that a potential data center developer would have to use a closed-loop water cooling system.

“I hope that [a data center] is a positive impact, in anything, for us monetarily as well,” she said.

Other residents expressed frustration that a data center would be allowed in Jenkins Township at all, despite the regulations.

Rayna O’Hop, of Suscon, an unincorporated community in Pittston Township, asked whether Jenkins Township “would fight” a future application for data center development, if one was ever submitted.

“How, as residents, would [a data center] benefit us?” she said.

Township Supervisor Robert Linskey stressed that while they expect a developer to follow the regulations set forth in the ordinance, it is illegal to outright ban data centers because they are considered a lawful use.

Rovinski added that the supervisors’ goal is to be as transparent as possible and protect the people.

“We hired this firm specifically so that the ordinance is written properly, so that it can’t be overturned in the courts. So, we’re trying to get it right,” he said.