Oakmont is the latest Alle-Kiski Valley community looking to prepare proactive data center regulations.
Council will hold a public hearing June 16 regarding a proposed ordinance that would regulate data centers in the borough.
“We don’t really have any place we think would be a data center, but (the planning commission) wanted to be proactive about this,” Council President Nancy Ride said.
According to officials, the borough has nowhere that would provide adequate infrastructure or enough land to house a data center.
Borough Manager Scot Fodi said the planning commission met for about four months to define regulations. They recommended an ordinance for council’s approval on March 19, Fodi said.
“It’s one of the uses that didn’t exist five years ago in zoning,” Fodi said. “And now you see arguments happening in public forums in (Upper) Burrell, Springdale across the river and other places across the nation.”
While the odds are against a data center being brought to Oakmont, Fodi said, officials wanted to create a zoning ordinance that addressed the matter.
The regulations limit the location of potential data centers to the borough’s industrial zoning district.
Councilman Jim Parsons said the borough’s only industrial zoning district is along the extension of Allegheny Avenue, where Brenntag Northeast, Thermo Twin Windows and the water treatment plant are located.
The ordinance also defines data centers as a conditional use, which would require further approval from officials.
The Gilpin supervisor recently passed similar proactive regulations for data centers in that Alle-Kiski Valley township.
The increasing trend among local governments comes at a time when data centers are being planned or discussed in Upper Burrell, Springdale and South Strabane, and new power plants are being considered in Homer City and Shippingport — specifically to cater to data centers.
Oakmont Council unanimously approved formally advertising the proposed ordinance. A public hearing is scheduled for June 16 before council’s monthly voting meeting.
