This past week saw movement around the PPL laydown portion of Project Bolt (Middlesex) as well as progression for North Middleton Township’s draft ordinance. Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the Hampden Township Data Center Ordinance hearing on Sept 25!

North Middleton Township

  • Planning Commission (Sept 16): The North Middleton Township Planning Commission (PC) advanced its draft data center ordinance, moving it toward Board of Supervisors (BOS) review and public hearing in October. The draft is expected to be published online in the coming weeks, provided the BOS votes to advertise it. Some known aspects of the unpublished ordinance:
    • Data centers allowed as conditional uses in Industrial and Light Industrial/Commercial zones only (e.g., warehouse district off Newville Rd. and the Carlisle Fairgrounds, were they to sell).
    • Requirements include: traffic/water studies, emergency planning, noise/vibration limits, stricter setbacks/buffering than warehouses, building design standards, and EMR/volume limits at property lines. Revisions have been made since August based on feedback from residents.
    • PC members voiced urgency: without an ordinance, rural and ag zones remain vulnerable.
  • Board of Supervisors (Sept 18): Board of Supervisors voted to send the draft ordinance to the county for review, hoping for swift feedback. They may reschedule the next PC meeting to October 14, aiming to advertise changes for BOS approval in November. Keep watch for official advertising of the draft ordinance; it is likely that the public hearing and vote for this ordinance will occur at the October or November BOS meeting. The draft ordinance must be published in advance.

Middlesex Township

  • Municipal Authority (Sept 18): Representatives from PA Data Center Partners (including engineer Justin Ross and attorney Charles Courtney) appeared before the MTMA.
    • Developers anticipate Building 1 online by June 2027 with others soon after, aiming for 5–6 by summer 2028.
    • Ross emphasized: “The more water the better.” The developers are looking to the municipal authority for an indication of how much water they can allocate prior to making decisions about cooling systems and water usage (per questions asked at Sept 9 developer info session). According to Ross, water use would primarily be for summer cooling, with some on-site storage.
    • Critical gap: Developers have not disclosed projected water requirements for the full 18-building plan.
    • Well No. 2 remains under permitting review.
  • Board of Supervisors (Sept 26): BOS will likely approve the PPL substation laydown site at their meeting Friday, Sept 26, 7:30 a.m. Attendance encouraged, though timing is difficult.

Hampden Township

  • Resident John Matthew Smith, who plans to run for Commissioner in Hampden Township this Fall, is encouraging residents to review his alternative-version draft ordinance and and attend the Board of Commissioners meeting on Sept 25, 7:30 p.m. (209 S. Sporting Hill Rd, Mechanicsburg). He invites residents who like his proposed ordinance to share it during the Hearing. (Join our Facebook Group to see the related document and post.)
  • The existing draft ordinance would allow data centers as a conditional use in office parks near neighborhoods. Residents should urge commissioners to vote NO on the existing proposed ordinance.

Legislative – Team Pennsylvania

Petition Updates

Calls to Action

  • Attend: Hampden Township hearing, Sept 25 at 7:30 p.m. – urge Commissioners to vote NO.
  • Attend (if possible): Middlesex BOS, Sept 26 at 7:30 a.m. – oppose PPL substation laydown.
  • Sign: Ongoing petitions for both Hampden and Middlesex.
  • Review & Comment: Team PA roadmap and related feedback survey.
  • Stay Alert: Watch for North Middleton draft ordinance posting and October or November hearing announcement.

Thanks to Dave Kerr and Susannah for their notes and takeaways from meetings this week, which informed the writing of parts of this summary.