Data Center Model Ordinance

The Southeastern PA Data Center Community Protection Team has developed some materials that build on templates and guidance from other organizations to create a toolkit for local governments to defend against the challenges we face from the boom of data center proposals in our area.

Don't count on Pennsylvania legislation or a possible moratorium to buy us time. Local governments need to take proactive action by passing local ordinances ASAP.

Tiered Adoption Toolkit

Reading the Core Model Ordinance all at once can be a little overwhelming. This tiered approach gives readers a chance to start with a minimum set of protections and build towards a comprehensive ordinance.

Track	Best For	What it does	Caution
Track 1 - Minimum Protective Ordinance	shorter starting point, have no current application, are early in policy development.	Preserves the structural protections needed to prevent obvious avoidance: LLDC definition, 10 MW threshold, full-buildout review, Unified Development, Project/Common Plan of Development, anti-segmentation, Sensitive Receptor protection, conditional-use review, required studies, third-party review, and enforcement authority.	This is the floor, not the preferred version for municipalities facing major projects, multiple sites, homes nearby, on-site generation, or constrained resources.
Track 2 - Standard Recommended	Most townships, boroughs, and cities that may receive one or more large data center proposals.	Includes Track 1 plus cumulative- impact review, concurrent/pending application review, air dispersion modeling near sensitive receptors, facility-wide acoustic modeling, generator testing limits, water/wastewater protections, post- construction testing, annual reporting, and corrective action.	Recommended default when officials are uncertain.
Track 3 - Comprehensive Protective Ordinance	Municipalities facing: hyperscale campuses, multiple applicants, projects near residences, on-site generation, gas infrastructure, water/sewer constraints, public controversy, litigation risk.	Uses the full model ordinance with the strongest technical, monitoring, transparency, energy-supply, gas, SCR/ammonia, RF/EMI, water, fuel, BESS, decommissioning, and financial-security provisions.	Requires more administrative and technical capacity; should be implemented with solicitor and expert support.

Track

Best For

What it does

Caution

Track 1 - Minimum Protective
Ordinance

shorter starting point,
have no current application,
are early in policy development.

Preserves the structural protections needed to prevent obvious avoidance:

LLDC definition, 10 MW threshold, full-buildout review,
Unified Development, Project/Common Plan of Development,
anti-segmentation, Sensitive Receptor protection, conditional-use review,
required studies, third-party review, and enforcement authority.

This is the floor, not the preferred version for municipalities facing major projects, multiple sites, homes nearby, on-site generation, or constrained resources.

Track 2 - Standard Recommended

Most townships, boroughs, and cities that may receive one or more large data center proposals.

Includes Track 1 plus

cumulative- impact review, concurrent/pending application review,
air dispersion modeling near sensitive receptors,
facility-wide acoustic modeling, generator testing limits,
water/wastewater protections, post- construction testing,
annual reporting, and corrective action.

Recommended default when officials are uncertain.

Track 3 - Comprehensive
Protective Ordinance

Municipalities facing:

hyperscale campuses,
multiple applicants,
projects near residences,
on-site generation,
gas infrastructure,
water/sewer constraints,
public controversy,
litigation risk.

Uses the full model ordinance with the strongest technical, monitoring, transparency, energy-supply, gas, SCR/ammonia, RF/EMI, water, fuel, BESS, decommissioning, and financial-security provisions.

Requires more administrative and technical capacity; should be implemented with solicitor and expert support.

For Municipal Officials

Ver 7.2 Release Notes

Ver 7.3 Release Notes

For Solicitors / Technical Review

Find more resources for concerned residents and activists HERE

A strong ordinance does not ban data centers; it requires responsible siting, objective standards, and proof of compliance. Large fossil-fueled generation serving a data center has separate impacts and should be reviewed as a separate land use.

These documents will help you select the parts of the comprehensive model ordinance that is right for your municipality.

CONTACT INFO

To ask a question or learn how you can contribute to the Data Center team, use the SPG Volunteer Interest Form. A volunteer leader will get back to you.

Happy to Help Municipal Officials

Want help analyzing your data center ordinance? Or assess your exposure to the risks that a new data center proposal might bring based on the ordinances currently on the books? Or want to learn about our process? We can help! All analysis is confidential and free. Contact us with the SPG Volunteer Interest Form.