North Lebanon Township is getting ahead of the data center wave. Township supervisors voted unanimously at their Oct. 19 meeting to advertise an ordinance that would regulate data centers and confine them to the industrial zoning district, LebTown reported.
The ordinance will be up for adoption at the board's Nov. 16 meeting.
Closing a gap in the code
Right now, the township's code doesn't address data centers specifically. That means a developer could try to make a case for building one in any zoning district, according to LebTown.
Solicitor Amy Leonard said the 34-page ordinance was modeled after data center ordinances from multiple other municipalities and was revised based on comments from the township planning commission.
If it passes, the ordinance would limit data centers to industrial land and subject them to aesthetic, dimensional, landscaping, screening and noise and vibration requirements. Data centers would also have to meet the general requirements of the industrial district, Leonard said.
What a data center would have to do
LebTown listed several of the ordinance's requirements, noting the list isn't all-inclusive:
- A water feasibility study
- A drought response plan
- A minimum lot size of 20 acres
- A maximum building height of 45 feet, plus up to 15 feet of roof-mounted equipment
- A landscape buffer of 100 feet or more
- A sound and vibration study
Part of a countywide trend
The move comes as demand for data centers grows locally and nationally, LebTown reported. Residents in Lebanon County have raised concerns about utility impacts, noise and vibration, and pollutants. That included a proposed data center in South Annville Township that was ultimately scrapped. Multiple municipalities across the county have recently put data center ordinances in place, according to LebTown.
Other business: homes, storage and a Walmart expansion
The supervisors handled several construction-related items at the same meeting:
- They unanimously approved the Whispering Pines land development plan and three waivers, as recommended by the planning commission. The high-density residential plan for 500 Narrows Drive includes six single-family homes and one lot with an existing house.
- They approved a stormwater-only plan for 799 Kimmerlings Road, where the owners plan to build a house, a garage, a sidewalk, a deck and a driveway totaling 2,639 square feet of impervious area.
- They accepted plan review time extensions for the North Lebanon self storage, Harold Tice lot addition and Walmart expansion plans. The Walmart plan at 1355 E. Lehman St. includes an 8,000-square-foot building expansion, additional signage and relined parking spaces.
- They accepted a letter of credit for the Collins Self Storage land development plan, which was approved last month contingent on financial security.
- They authorized full release of financial security for the Zimmerman Mulch plan, contingent on a follow-up inspection.
What comes next
The supervisors meet the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. The next regular meeting, where the data center ordinance is up for adoption, is Nov. 16. The board will also hold its final budget review meeting Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.
Why it matters for contractors
Ordinances like this one shape what can actually be built. A 20-acre minimum, a 45-foot height limit with 15 feet for rooftop equipment and a 100-foot landscape buffer set the basic envelope for any future data center in North Lebanon Township. Required water feasibility studies, drought plans and sound and vibration studies mean more engineering and consulting work up front, before any building goes vertical.
For site contractors, landscapers and civil engineers, the buffer and screening rules point to real scopes of work on any project that does come. For electrical and mechanical contractors, the rooftop equipment allowance is a reminder of how much cooling and power gear these buildings carry.
The rest of the agenda matters too. A six-home subdivision, a Walmart expansion and new self-storage plans are the kind of steady, local work that keeps small and midsize contractors busy in Lebanon County while the data center debate plays out.
Contractors who want a say in the data center rules can attend the Nov. 16 meeting before the supervisors vote.