The Limerick Township Planning Commission heard a detailed presentation on proposed revisions to the township's data center zoning regulations — a series of updates developed after months of public feedback and aimed at strengthening standards for future projects.
The June 11 session followed action taken by the board of supervisors earlier this month to authorize the proposed ordinance amendments for advertisement. As reported by Evan Brandt of The Pottstown Mercury on June 3, the supervisors' vote moved the proposal toward formal adoption, though none of the changes would apply to the two large-scale data center applications already filed with the township.
How the Ordinance Got Here
Greta Martin Washington, Limerick's director of community planning and zoning officer, opened Thursday's discussion by reviewing the history that led to the current revisions.
Washington explained that when a proposal emerged in early 2024 to locate a data center inside an existing warehouse, the township had no specific zoning definition for data centers. As a result, she issued an opinion classifying the use as a specialized warehouse. That determination, she said, effectively allowed data centers anywhere warehouses were permitted without any additional protections specific to the technology.
In response, township officials developed dedicated data center ordinances for both the Heavy Industrial and Limited Light Industrial zoning districts. Washington said staff relied heavily on regulations from Loudoun County, Virginia, which has hosted data centers for decades, while also reviewing other ordinances available at the time.
Two conditional use applications for data centers were later filed under those 2024 standards. Those applications include a proposed data center project near the Limerick Generating Station and Philadelphia Premium Outlets — which is currently moving through the conditional use hearing process, with the next hearing scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, at 6:30 p.m. — as well as a second proposed data center on the former Publicker Distillery site in Linfield.
Washington said staff began reviewing potential updates after receiving extensive community feedback over the past several months and after Montgomery County released a model data center ordinance earlier this year.
What the Revised Ordinance Would Change
Washington walked commissioners through a series of proposed modifications and new requirements.
One of the most significant changes would further restrict where data centers could be built in the township's Limited Light Industrial District.
Under the current ordinance, a data center tract qualifies if at least a portion of it lies within three-quarters of a mile of the intersection of Evergreen Road and Lightcap Road. The proposed amendment would add a one-mile outer boundary, limiting how far a qualifying tract could extend beyond that area.
The proposal would also reduce the maximum permitted building height from the current 120-foot standard to 80 feet in both industrial zoning districts. Township officials noted that rooftop equipment is not included in the ordinance's building height calculation, meaning the overall profile of a facility could exceed 80 feet.
The ordinance would also increase residential setbacks. Existing standards require a 400-foot setback from residential uses, with the possibility of reducing that distance to 200 feet if sound impacts can be mitigated. The revised ordinance would increase the setback to 1,000 feet, reducible to 500 feet if acoustical analysis demonstrates that sound would not reach nearby homes.
Noise standards represent another major area of revision.
Washington said the township is proposing to adopt Montgomery County's recommendation to include C-weighted decibel measurements, which are designed to capture lower-frequency sounds often associated with data center operations. The township's existing standards already regulate A-weighted decibel levels. She also noted that the noise standards would need to be met even during emergency situations when all generators are operating.
The ordinance would require noise studies at four stages of a project's lifecycle: during conditional use review, at the building permit stage, at facility startup, and annually thereafter while the data center remains in operation.
Several entirely new provisions would also be added.
Future data centers would be required to use closed-loop cooling systems and provide both a wastewater disposal analysis and a drought response plan. A decommissioning plan would also be required, including a bond equal to 110 percent of projected removal costs that would be reassessed every five years.
Additional provisions would require proof from a power provider that a facility would not impact residential electric rates, along with emergency management planning requirements, annual inspections, and compliance with national battery-storage safety standards.
Commissioners and Residents Push for More
While commissioners praised the township staff's work, several made clear they viewed the ordinance as a starting point rather than a final product.
Vice Chair Michael Frank commended township staff for tackling what he described as a difficult and evolving issue. He also suggested future discussions should examine light pollution and concerns about whether data center operators could later seek public utility status that might reduce local oversight.
Commissioner Bruce Himelstein raised questions about the ordinance's enforcement provisions, noting that the township's maximum zoning fine of $500 per day may have limited deterrent value for large corporations. He also expressed concerns about allowing setback reductions based on projected sound levels rather than measured conditions and suggested the township explore community benefit agreements as well as broader public-health impact assessments in future revisions.
Residents echoed many of those concerns during the public comment portion of the discussion, when about 15 people addressed township officials on the subject. Suggestions included:
- increasing setbacks to as much as 2,500 feet from homes, schools, and daycare facilities;
- lowering allowable noise levels;
- requiring independent third parties for all necessary testing;
- regulating diesel generator emissions;
- requiring additional environmental protections;
- and mandating proof of a secured power supply before applications advance through the approval process.
Several residents also called for stronger financial protections, including additional bonding requirements tied to infrastructure impacts, emergency services, water resources, or potential environmental remediation.
The Path Forward
The planning commission ultimately voted to recommend that the board of supervisors consider the ordinance as presented, with officials arguing that the township would be better served by adopting stronger protections now and continuing to refine the regulations through future amendments.
During the discussion, township officials repeatedly emphasized that they expect multiple rounds of ordinance revisions. Washington described the proposal as a first step and said staff intends to continue studying concerns raised by residents and commissioners.
The proposal must still be reviewed by the Montgomery County Planning Commission and proceed through a public hearing before it can be formally adopted by the board of supervisors.
This article was generated with AI assistance. All content was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by John McGuire.
