Susquehanna County Commissioners want to be prepared.
After a short public hearing Monday, commissioners added provisions for data centers to the county’s Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO).
"Our biggest interest is the public health of the people and our environment here, so it's trying to stay one step in front of everything, and without getting something on the books today, that would have gave anybody an open door to do whatever they wanted,” Chairman Alan Hall said.
The ordinance added an amendment to the commercial and industrial land development section of the SALDO. Data centers are now defined and provisions are in place in the event one is proposed for the mostly rural county.
In the beginning of the hearing, Hall said the county is not building, proposing or negotiating with anyone to bring a data center to the county.
“There is no project before us today,” he said. “This is about preparedness, not promotion.”
Commissioner Robert McNamara was absent.
Data centers at the municipal level
Susquehanna County is one of the first governing bodies to pass a data center ordinance before one is proposed.
There are at least 25 data center developments across Northeast and Northcentral Pennsylvania — with the most in Lackawanna County, specifically Archbald.
Developers start at the local level, through planning commissions and zoning ordinances. That's caused municipalities to update their zoning laws to include data centers. Many did not have provisions before this year.
Local residents are concerned about the fast-moving industry. They feel like their hesitation is being dismissed in favor of the developers. Public meetings are often packed. They worry the centers will be built too close to homes and will cause noise, water and air pollution, in addition to raising their utility rates.
Susquehanna's ordinance
There is no county-wide zoning in Susquehanna. There are 40 municipalities in the county and only a few, such as Montrose, have their own zoning or planning commissions. The municipalities without zoning and planning sign agreements to follow the county’s SALDO.
The public hearing, led by county solicitor Chris Furman, included suggestions from audience members in the small but packed conference room. Some residents stood in the hallway.
Many agree with the ordinance.
"I think this is a really great plan, a really great ordinance. I am not an objector to this ordinance," Susquehanna Depot resident Valerie Senese said.
But Senese suggested increasing the setbacks.
The ordinance says data centers must be set back 200 feet from the boundary of homes or the lot line of schools, preschools, daycare centers, in-home daycares, long-term care facilities, retirement and nursing homes, community centers, places of worship, parks (excluding trails), campgrounds, prisons and dormitories.
"The county is noted for its beauty, for its beautiful landscapes," she said. "These are very general numbers, and I would like the committee to consider increasing those numbers."
Another resident suggested that the ordinance include requiring studies through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including water usage.
Hall said under the ordinance data centers are required to provide a water feasibility study if a developer plans to rely on nonpublic water.
Montrose resident Steve Cosgrove, who works in the HVAC industry, expressed concern about the noise from rooftop cooling units.
The ordinance states that a sound study must be conducted by a professional acoustical expert. From Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. the maximum decibel level is 67 dB(A) and from Monday to Friday 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. and all day Saturday and Sunday, the decibel level must be 57 dB(A).
"If these buildings are hundreds and thousands of square feet, guess how many rooftop units need to go on those, a lot, and the decibels they say 67 max. I don't know about that,” Cosgrove said.
The ordinance is restrictive. Data centers can only be 60 feet tall, which is the height of the tallest building in the county.
"Anything over that really puts a strain on the fire companies, big time,” said Hall. “Plus, you know, the cosmetic look of a 150-foot high building, or something like that.”
Hall said the suggestions will be sent back to the planning commission for review.
"We've talked to a lot of people across the state and across the country. We've tried to get the engineers together, the attorneys together ... but hearing this today helps even more, and we'll definitely take more of a look at it. So thank you all for being here. We appreciate it,” Hall said.
Other takeaways from the ordinance:
- Data centers can use a ton of water to cool down the amount of servers inside the buildings. Susquehanna County mandates that a closed loop system is used. The system reuses coolant or fluid and does not discharge it into the environment.
- The data centers cannot depend on private wells for cooling.
- There must be a landscape buffer 50 feet in width along property lines and road rights-of-way.
- Primary distribution lines and electrical infrastructure must be installed underground from the utility’s point of supply or nearest manhole or transformer.
- An Emergency Response Plan is required and must be approved by the local fire department and emergency management services.
- Data center owners and operators must pay to decommission a facility within 12 months after the “end of the useful life of the facility.”
