Connoquenessing Township to provide comment on potential impacts of proposed Forward Township data center
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — After the announcement that a data center campus is seeking approval to be built in Forward Township, Connoquenessing Township supervisors are looking to make sure their residents’ voices are heard.
Township supervisors voted unanimously at a meeting Wednesday evening, Oct. 7, to authorize formal participation under Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code section 502.1.
The section grants any municipality the ability to appear and comment before the governing body or other boards and commissions of a bordering municipality considering a proposed land development or subdivision.
Supervisor Angela Fleeger clarified at Wednesday’s meeting the township was interested in voicing its opinion for its residents rather than attempting to influence Forward Township officials on their decision.
“This is solely their responsibility and their right to make these determinations for anything that happens with the data center,” she said. “We are not here to interfere with that. We are here as a contiguous township to protect the rights of our residents and our township.”
The proposed Misty Hollow Energy and Data Campus would include a 1-million-square-foot data center campus with an 80,000-square-foot wastewater treatment facility, a 23,800-square-foot office building, power station facilities spread over about 10 acres and a security building and gate. A 416,000-square-foot area is designated for possible future expansion.
The proposed facility would be constructed on the former Misty Hollow Farm, a 232.4-acre property at 614 Prospect Road, and an adjacent 41.9-acre parcel. The property is now owned by 614 Prospect RD LLC.
According to Butler County’s geographic information system map, the northernmost border of the proposed facility would be around 250 meters from the municipal line with Connoquenessing Township.
Fleeger said some concerns the township will raise include traffic, noise, impacts to Connoquenessing Creek and impacts to what the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company may be called for.
“What’s on my mind when we’re talking about a major incident in a data center for example: the electrical fires, the lithium batteries, the specialized training, the equipment. We don’t even have a ladder truck to deal with that,” she said.
Fleeger noted while Forward Township contributes some money to the fire company, the brunt of its funding comes from Connoquenessing Township and its taxpayers.
Before the vote, township solicitor Andrew Menchyk reminded the board that planning commissions are ultimately advisory boards to the municipal board. He advised them to speak at the supervisors meeting where the plan will be considered.
“Why that is significant is because grants or denials of a land development or subdivision plan can be appealed to the Court of Common Pleas by an aggrieved party. An aggrieved party is, generally speaking, under the municipal planning code, is someone who appears at the meeting where it is approved and they are heard,” Menchyk said.
Following the discussion around Forward Township, Connoquenessing Township supervisors also voted unanimously Wednesday to authorize Menchyk to prepare a data center ordinance.
Menchyk said since the township lacks a zoning ordinance, the data center ordinance would likely take shape as an amendment to the township’s subdivision and land development ordinance.
He said he would review other municipalities’ ordinances and asked the supervisors for feedback on what they would like to see implemented.
“If you want to look at those ordinances that have been circulated and let me know what you want to prioritize or think is important, I can incorporate that into the draft to make sure it reflects your intent,” he said.
Menchyk said he will try to have the ordinance prepared so the supervisors can take a vote at their next meeting, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.
This story was updated at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, to reflect the Nov. 4 township supervisors meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m.
