Norristown PA data center ordinance (2026)

Municipality of Norristown, Pa. (Montgomery County) — DATA CENTER ORDINANCE passed by Norristown Municipal Council, reported AUGUST 21, 2026, following public comment from area residents. CHARACTERISATION: the unanimous action is described as outlining STRINGENT CRITERIA for proposed data centers. Council members David McMahon, Jasmine Griffen and Will McCoy are identified as present. INSTRUMENT CLASS: a standards ordinance rather than a moratorium. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CLUSTER, which is the context that gives this entry weight: Falls Township PA curative amendment on data centers (2026) (Bucks County \u2014 declaring its own ordinance substantively invalid to control the curative remedy and foreclose developer validity challenges), MORRISVILLE BOROUGH (six-month waiting period, unindexed lead), MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP (unanimous zoning amendment with extensive data center regulations, queued), WHITEMARSH TOWNSHIP (moving to advertise, with WEST CONSHOHOCKEN and UPPER MERION having previously adopted similar ordinances \u2014 all unindexed leads), and Ligonier Township PA data center zoning regulations (2026) in Westmoreland County. STATE-LEVEL LEVERAGE: Pennsylvania EO 2026-05 data center restrictions (2026) gates DEP permit review on a developer having ALREADY OBTAINED LOCAL APPROVAL and on a legally binding GRID commitment, removes AI data centers from Fast Track permitting, and PROHIBITS DATA CENTER NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS. Pennsylvania municipalities therefore negotiate with information and sequencing advantages that municipalities in most other states in this dataset lack \u2014 which is the likely explanation for the density and sophistication of the local instruments emerging there. THE SPECIFIC CRITERIA ADOPTED BY NORRISTOWN ARE NOT STATED in the located source and are the material gap; this entry should not be cited for particular requirements.