Radnor proposes cap on data center size to keep local control

Radnor Township commissioners have introduced a draft ordinance that would cap the size of new data centers and restrict where they can be built. The proposal seeks to give the township specific tools to manage these facilities before developers arrive with larger projects.

Megan Donovin, the township’s zoning officer, presented the framework at the most recent board meeting. She explained that leaving data centers undefined in current zoning codes does not stop developers from proposing them. By creating a specific definition and set of rules, the township can regulate the use rather than reacting to it later.

The draft ordinance limits data center construction to two planned laboratory and offices (PLO) districts. Officials chose these areas because they are designed for larger, technology-oriented uses on substantial properties. These zones also allow for greater setbacks, buffering, and screening to reduce impacts on neighboring properties.

Donovin stated that the township is not currently in informal discussions with any developer about a specific project. She noted that data centers in the region have ranged from one to six million square feet. Their power demands can reach anywhere from 50 megawatts to one gigawatt. This variation in scale is why the township is taking a proactive approach now.

The rules would require developers to provide technical proof through various studies. These studies must cover utilities, sound, noise, cooling, and emergency response. The ordinance also addresses operations after construction is complete. It includes provisions for annual compliance responses and decommissioning requirements.

Donovin warned that a full ban on data centers could lead to legal challenges. If a landowner or developer successfully argued that the ban was unlawfully exclusionary, they could be entitled to significant relief. She said this could result in the township defending a much larger, purpose-built facility instead of regulating a smaller one under established standards.

The current document is described as a rough draft. Officials plan to revise it and return with a second version for advertising and adoption. The process will require the ordinance to go back to the township’s planning commission before returning to the commissioners for final approval.

Radnor is not the only municipality in Delaware County addressing this issue. Newtown Township recently approved its own ordinance regarding data centers. Concord Township is also holding a supervisors meeting this week that may include the adoption of similar rules.

Outside of urban areas, other townships are considering their own ordinances. Currently, the only location with active discussion of construction is in Trainer and Lower Chichester Township. Data centers remain a point of contention across Pennsylvania, with several facilities already in use in the northeastern and western parts of the state.