Penn Twp (Lancaster Co.) PA data center ordinance (2026)
Penn Township (Lancaster County), PA — Data Center Ordinance: Zoning Hearing Board Approval in Limited Commercial District, Setbacks, Noise and Water Limits, Closed-Loop Cooling and No Well Water (June 2026)
Penn Township (Lancaster County), PA · Penn Township (Lancaster County), PA — data center zoning ordinance
- Status
- Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Applies to
- Data center developers in Penn Township
- Enforced by
- Penn Township Board of Supervisors; zoning officer / zoning hearing board
Penn Township in Lancaster County passed a data center ordinance in June 2026. Data centers are allowed in the limited commercial district with zoning hearing board approval, subject to setbacks from homes, noise limits and water-use restrictions. Developers must submit plans for noise, electronic waste disposal, thermal impacts and emergency response, and cooling systems must be closed-loop and may not use well water.
Who is protected: Residents of Penn Township, Lancaster County, PA
Legal detail
Penn Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (not to be confused with other Penn Townships in PA) — ordinance PASSED IN JUNE 2026 (LNP roundup; exact date not given, enacted_date null). PROVISIONS: data centers allowed in the LIMITED COMMERCIAL district with ZONING HEARING BOARD approval; setbacks from residential properties; noise limits; water-use restrictions; required plans for noise, electronic waste disposal, thermal impacts and emergency response; cooling systems must be CLOSED-LOOP and cannot use WELL WATER. NOT ESTABLISHED: ordinance number, adoption date, vote, numeric limits. CONTEXT (same roundup): Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code gives municipalities zoning authority but state law prohibits outright bans of a legitimate land use; Lancaster County Planning Commission issued a guide for municipal data center rules.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Penn Township (Lancaster County), PA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Citation | Penn Township (Lancaster County), PA — data center zoning ordinance |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated in the located sources |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | More Lancaster County municipalities adding rules regulating data centers [update] — LNP | LancasterOnline (Sept. 28, 2026) |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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