Whitemarsh Township residents have one week to read and weigh in on a draft ordinance that would set rules for data centers before the Board of Supervisors votes Thursday, Aug. 13, on whether to formally advertise it.
The township posted the full draft ordinance and announced it in its weekly newsletter on Thursday, Aug. 6. If supervisors vote to advertise, the ordinance would then be scheduled for a public hearing — standard procedure before any ordinance adoption in Pennsylvania.
The township called the effort "proactive," noting that state law prohibits municipalities from banning any legal land use, including data centers.
What the draft requires
The ordinance would allow data centers only by conditional use in six industrial and research zoning districts. Among the key restrictions:
- 500-foot setback from any residential district, residentially used property, school, daycare, hospital or community center
- 250-foot setback from all property lines for principal buildings, accessory uses and truck idling areas
- Closed-loop water cooling required; alternatives allowed only if proven to use less water and energy
- Tier 4 EPA emission standards for diesel backup generators, with battery storage prioritized over diesel
- 100-hour annual cap on fossil-fuel generator testing, restricted to 9 a.m.–3 p.m. weekdays; no peak shaving or selling power to the grid
- 60-foot maximum building height, including rooftop equipment
- LEED v5 certification for data center design and construction
- Renewable energy minimums: at least 10% of power from renewable sources within the PJM regional grid for facilities up to 50 megawatts, 25% for those above 50 MW
- 50-foot landscape buffer with native plantings between data centers and any residential zone, sensitive receptor or public road
Facilities over 100,000 square feet must sit on at least five acres.
How it was developed
Whitemarsh drew on recommendations from the Montgomery County Planning Commission and a template from Penn Future, an environmental advocacy group. Montgomery County released a model data center ordinance in April 2026 for municipalities to use, and Lower Gwynedd is among several Montgomery and Bucks County municipalities that have also moved to regulate data centers in recent months. A data center proposal in neighboring Plymouth Township went before the planning commission on Thursday, Aug. 6.
How to engage
The draft is available at the township's document center. Residents who want to comment before the Aug. 13 supervisors meeting can contact the Board of Supervisors through the township website or attend the meeting in person.
