The debate on data centers is all the rage. Everyone has devices and services that utilize date centers, but there is a very vocal segment of the population that doesn’t want to live anywhere near one fearing the impact on the environment, power usage, etc.

There is currently a proposed data center ordinance being developed in the Borough of West Conshohocken and there was a proposed data center at the former steel plant in Conshohocken (Plymouth Township), but that proposal was withdrawn (with the intention to resubmit at a later date).

On April 1st, Chester and Montgomery counties released a document titled Data Center Ordinance Guide (download) that is meant to help municipalities develop a data center ordinance. In the document, it is recommended that municipalities allow for data centers through the conditional use process, which won’t appease those opposed to data centers who are supporting the efforts on instituting a moratorium or ban.

If you aren’t familiar, a conditional use is when “a land use that has been approved for a particular zoning district, as long as the specific proposal satisfies the standards that are contained in the zoning ordinance,” according to the law firm Houston Harbaugh. So essentially, a data center would be allowed, but only if it meets certain conditions. The recommendation from the counties also is for data centers that are 100,000 or more square feet.

There are also proposed state and federal laws that is very likely to impact where and how data centers can operate going forward (which this document acknowledges). It is all very much in flux.

Please note that this article isn’t meant to review the details of the document, but to simply get it into the public’s hands, because there is the very real possibilities municipalities may start moving forward with adopting ordinances based on the recommendations.

Image – Chester and Montgomery counties