Montgomery County won party status in Plymouth Township's zoning case over a proposed 2-million-square-foot data center at 900 Conshohocken Road.
The township's Zoning Hearing Board granted the county a formal role during a contentious Oct. 15 hearing, 6abc reported. Montgomery County owns the former Ivy Rock Quarry property directly across Conshohocken Road from the proposed site.
The county had requested party status on Sept. 14, according to MoreThanTheCurve. Whether the board would approve that request had been an open question heading into the hearing.
Developer Brian O'Neill of MLP Ventures is seeking a special exception to build the data center on the former Cleveland-Cliffs plate finishing facility. O'Neill and his attorneys testified about projected noise and lighting impacts, water and power usage, and the project's potential jobs and tax revenue, according to 6abc.
Attorneys for opponents pushed back. They argued that expert witnesses would be better qualified to address many of those technical issues. Those experts were not present but are expected to testify at future hearings.
The session featured frequent objections and exchanges between attorneys and the Zoning Hearing Board's solicitor.
Conshohocken resident Christine Bertino attended in person. She told 6abc the project's proximity to her home has heightened her interest.
"I can see this site from my porch," Bertino said.
Bertino said she is following the hearings closely before offering public comment. No public comment was taken at the Oct. 15 session. That phase will begin after evidentiary hearings conclude, a timeline that could still be several weeks away, according to 6abc.
The Oct. 15 hearing was the first continuation since August. A Sept. 17 session had been canceled after the township failed to properly advertise the meeting agenda, as The Reporter noted. The board moved hearings from Colonial Middle School's auditorium to the smaller Karen B. Weiss Meeting Room at the Plymouth Township Municipal Building, citing the need to properly conduct evidentiary proceedings. A livestream and a public viewing location at the Greater Plymouth Community Center were available.
As we reported Oct. 14, O'Neill's first data center application was withdrawn in November 2025 after the township determined he lacked legal standing. He resubmitted a new application in spring 2026. About 25 parties are now participating in the case.
The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 19.
