Will the proposed data center in Conshohocken (Plymouth Township) get approved? Who knows! But if the feeling within the township is that it is likely to move forward (whether a special exception is granted or by a court ruling), there are some common-sense ideas we feel could help lessen its impact. This doesn’t address every concern, but to us, these are easy things to do (when you are spending someone else’s money).

Plymouth Township’s zoning code requires hundreds of parking spaces on the steel mill property that aren’t needed for a data center. If approved, that requirement should be removed (likely through a variance), and O’Neill should commit to planting the entire 476 side of the property with trees (the yellow shaded area). This will help buffer the facility from the Connaughton neighborhood.

The Fulton/Old Mansion House property recently went up for sale. O’Neill should put that property under agreement and commit to knocking the building down and filling that entire area with trees (the orange shaded area). This will enhance the buffer mentioned above.

Note that the area to the right of the buildings is the area shown in yellow on the diagram.

The Fulton/Old Mansion House property is adjacent to a park. If O’Neill were to acquire The Fulton/Old Mansion House property, it should be examined whether the park’s playground, etc., could be moved to the Fulton Street side of the combined properties to allow the buffer of trees to be denser along Conshohocken Road (area shaded in green). This could require O’Neill to donate the property to the township.

Note that the area to the left of the green area is Conshohocken Road and the area shaded in yellow on the diagram.

Just some things to think about and consider.