Data Center Zoning Protections
Working To Preserve The Rural Nature of West Deer
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Hyperscale Data Center Under Construction
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From September 2025 to February 2026, CROWD members worked alongside members of the West Deer Planning Commission on a Data Center ordinance with the goal of protecting the township residents. CROWD members did significant research examining templates and ordinances from many other communities. CROWD worked to develop a very comprehensive ordinance that would be protective and reasonable. For example, one of the important protections CROWD included was regarding the noise ordinance and how sound would be measured. For data centers it was important to include both:
At the May 28 Planning Commission meeting, the Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend that a Data Center ordinance be sent to the West Deer Township supervisors for their review and vote. Because we are no longer able to view the draft ordinance, we do not know if changes were made to the original ordinance during reviews by the township and solicitor’s office.
We believe that the recommendation will be discussed by the Board of Supervisors at their June 17 meeting and possibly voted for moving forward to the required public hearing.. Currently, we don’t know if we will see the final version of the ordinance at this meeting. We may have to wait till the to be scheduled public hearing to see the official ordinance.
Click Here to view the draft ordinance submitted in February of this year.
- dBa which measures the loudness of sound audible to the human ear.
- dBc which measures high intensity, low-frequency energy “noise” generated by cooling fans, HVAC systems, and generators, often described as a “hum”. This “noise” can travel long distances, through walls, and create vibrations that people feel inside their homes.
At the May 28 Planning Commission meeting, the Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend that a Data Center ordinance be sent to the West Deer Township supervisors for their review and vote. Because we are no longer able to view the draft ordinance, we do not know if changes were made to the original ordinance during reviews by the township and solicitor’s office.
We believe that the recommendation will be discussed by the Board of Supervisors at their June 17 meeting and possibly voted for moving forward to the required public hearing.. Currently, we don’t know if we will see the final version of the ordinance at this meeting. We may have to wait till the to be scheduled public hearing to see the official ordinance.
Click Here to view the draft ordinance submitted in February of this year.
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