Data center zoning ordinance
Summary
The county is drafting a data center ordinance with a moratorium/stopgap in place; 19 partner municipalities will automatically receive it, while Muncy Township — which left the partnership — can adopt it as a template. Residents near proposed sites are anxious.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 4
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 15, 2026.
Impact analysis
A $75,000 grant is being pursued to pay a consultant for a youth assessment, but the data center ordinance work itself is covered under the Entech extension.
Townships seeking ready-made zoning language and residents concerned about responsible development.
Residents near proposed data center sites report fear about property values, water and peace of mind.
Mentions & discussions (4)
Board of Commissioners Video — 2026-10-15
The county is writing an ordinance governing where data centers can operate, and hired a second law firm to double-check it. Commissioner Sortman stressed that banning them outright would legally let them build anywhere — so the goal is allowing them only in the right spots.
Board of Commissioners Video — 2026-06-25
The county is drafting a data center ordinance with a moratorium/stopgap in place; 19 partner municipalities will automatically receive it, while Muncy Township — which left the partnership — can adopt it as a template. Residents near proposed sites are anxious.
Board of Commissioners Video — 2026-06-18
The county declared its 1999 zoning ordinance invalid as to data centers and started a 180-day clock to write a proper ordinance. Sortman urged all municipalities to adopt their own versions quickly and invited residents to that evening's Planning Commission meeting rather than speculating online.
Board of Commissioners Video — 2026-06-11
A Cogan Station resident asked whether data center companies have approached the county and opposed them taking farmland. Commissioners said a Planning Commission stop-gap measure and ordinance are in development, and municipalities hold the approval power.
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