Allentown City Council to introduce Bill 52 on data center zoning
Council will introduce Bill 52 on June 24 to tighten where and how data centers can be built, add decommissioning rules and expand public notice.
As communities in the Lehigh Valley grapple with the growing number of plans to develop data centers in the region, Allentown will be hosting a meeting Wednesday night to discuss its latest proposal for regulating that development.
Allentown City Council will hold a special meeting June 24 at 5:45pm to introduce Bill 52, proposing amendments to Section 660-38.H of the City’s Zoning Ordinance governing Data Center Use.
According to a press release from the city, the amendments are the result of internal discussions, reinforced by public comments during recent Council meetings, and are intended to strengthen the regulations adopted through Bill 20, which was approved by council on June 17.
Changes include limiting data center use to the Industrial Manufacturing District only, removing the use from the Industrial General District.
The new proposal would also increase the required setback from sensitive receptors to 500 feet and add decommissioning requirements to address the future closure or abandonment of facilities.
The city council said it is also looking to expand community engagement by requiring additional public notice as part of the approval process.
The special meeting will be held prior to the regular Community and Economic Development Committee Meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Once introduced, Bill 52 will be forwarded to the Allentown City Planning Commission and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission for review and recommendation as required by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
Council noted that prior to Bill 20, data center proposals were reviewed under the city’s existing industrial zoning framework without the specific standards and safeguards which are included in the Bill 20 ordinance. The City’s Zoning Ordinance did not contain any specific regulations governing data centers. Bill 20 established specific regulations, safeguards, and review requirements for data centers – a use that had not previously been addressed in the zoning code.
Council said that the proposed data center application at 2401 Emaus Avenue is not affected by Bill 20, nor will it fall under Bill 52, the new amendments currently under consideration.
The 2401 Emaus Avenue application remains subject to review only under Allentown’s prior zoning code that was in place in 2025 when the application was submitted.