CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Following public feedback and further consideration, Franklin County Commissioners on Wednesday, April 8, released a revised version of a proposed amendment to the county’s subdivision and land development ordinance that would establish parameters for potential data center development in Franklin County.
The amendment outlines standards and regulations for the construction, installation and operation of data centers in Franklin County. The amended version includes revisions to the solar and nuclear requirements for alternative energy sources, includes a requirement regarding the impact on agricultural irrigation, as well as revisions to the requirements of financial security for decommissioning data centers.
The document is available for public review online at www.franklincountypa.gov, at the commissioners’ office and at the Franklin County Law Library. Residents are invited to learn more about the proposed amendment and provide feedback during a public hearing scheduled for 6 p.m. April 28 at the Franklin County Administration Building, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg.
A live stream of the hearing will be available on the county’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@countycommissioners8113/streams. Feedback can also be submitted through the county’s public comment form, https://bit.ly/3O99ElJ.
The county’s amended ordinance provides safeguards to mitigate potential negative consequences of data center development and furthering the commissioners’ goals of smart growth, protecting the county’s natural resources and valuable farmland, safeguarding residents’ health, safety and welfare,and preserving the character of local communities. The amendment also provides clear criteria that would limit data centers from having significant impacts on farmland, natural resources and other sensitive areas.
The commissioners anticipate voting on the amendment at the board’s May 20 public meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the county’s administration building.
