CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Franklin County Commissioners invite residents to a public hearing on an amendment to the county’s existing subdivision and land development ordinance that would establish regulations for data center development in Franklin County. The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. April 28 at the Franklin County Administration Building, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg.
The amendment outlines standards and regulations for the construction, installation and operation of data centers in Franklin County. The document is available for public review, both online at www.franklincountypa.gov and at the commissioners’ office. The county will accept feedback during the April 28 hearing as well as through the county’s public comment form, https://bit.ly/3O99ElJ. Public comment was also accepted at a public hearing on April 1.
“We as commissioners have very serious concerns about the impact data centers could have on our communities,” said Franklin County Commission Chair Dean Horst. “The goal of this proposed amendment is to put reasonable measures in place to ensure the impacts of data center development are mitigated and do not create negative impacts for our residents, our businesses and our agricultural community. We encourage our local municipalities to adopt these guidelines for their own use to ensure that any new development is consistent with our way of life.”
Residents who are unable to attend the April 28 event in person can watch a live stream of the hearing on the Franklin County YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@countycommissioners8113/streams.
In Pennsylvania, land use and development policies are primarily controlled by individual municipalities. The county’s amended ordinance provides added safeguards – in the event a municipality would repeal an existing ordinance – to guide the development of data centers while staying true to 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 following the hearing and public review period.
