Luzerne County Revises Data Center Zoning to Avoid Lawsuits

The Luzerne County planning commission will meet Thursday in Wilkes-Barre to consider revised zoning rules for data centers. The proposed changes follow a review by the county law office, which determined that original recommendations for sound and setback requirements were too restrictive. Officials warned that the initial rules risked being legally classified as "de facto exclusionary provisions."

To ensure compliance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code and avoid potential legal challenges, the new proposal reduces setback distances for both large and small data centers and relaxes noise limits at property lines.

If the planning commission approves the changes and the Luzerne County Council subsequently adopts the amendment, the rules will apply to 19 municipalities that rely on county zoning. This group includes various boroughs and townships such as Avoca, Conyngham, and Lake.