South Annville supervisors hear from residents regarding proposed data center

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

Amid a nearly full auditorium at Annville-Cleona Secondary School on Wednesday night, South Annville Township supervisors heard from two dozen township residents who oppose a proposed $1.7 billion data center in the township.

1235 Martina Drive Owner LLC, a joint venture between Inch & Co. and Eastern Land & Resources Co., is petitioning about 58 acres of new industrial (I-1) zoning across four parcels of land totaling about 99 acres.

The proposed data center development in the northern part of South Annville Township would include five data center buildings, each about 150,000 square feet — totaling about 750,000 square feet.

Following a 30-minute presentation by Jonathan Andrews, a land-use attorney with McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, and project developer Joe Eisenhauer, vice president for development with Inch & Co., South Annville Township residents took to the mic.

The two dozen South Annville Township residents of various ages, backgrounds, connections to the township, and professions spoke in unanimous opposition to the proposed data center.

Residents’ comments were met with applause and cheers from the audience, with some members being residents of Annville and North Annville townships, who were exempt from public comment during the meeting.

Many residents shared their skepticism of information provided by data center representatives and called on supervisors to gather information independently regarding the implications of data centers on surrounding communities.

South Annville resident Michael Schroeder, pictured left in the top row in the gallery below, encouraged residents opposed to the data center to organize by joining his email list dedicated to the cause.

“I think what I’m hearing, and what I heard last night (at the South Annville Township Planning Commission meeting), is an appeal to slow down, that there is no urgency here, that this is a long-term thing. Last night, Mr. Eisenhauer was asked, ‘How long do you expect this data center to be there?’ and the answer was in perpetuity, which means forever. So, it will be there forever if it’s built. And so, there is no urgency that I see, and what I’m hearing is an appeal to the commission, to the supervisors, to slow down,” Schroeder said.

Township resident Denise Smith, pictured second from left in the top row in the gallery below, celebrated residents for showing up to the meeting to voice their opposition.

“It seems like many of the things that Joe (Eisenhauer) has said and what I read from his (LebTown) article is very glowing, and that use of effluent water like ‘Oh, that caught me, got me a little excited about that.’ But it makes me wonder when we hear all of this very sunny, rosy glow, how realistic is that? And if it were that good, wouldn’t townships be scrambling and asking them (data centers) to come?” Smith said.

Residents shared their questions and concerns regarding the implications of the proposed data center on the environment due to water and electric use, the health of those who live, attend school, and work within about a one-mile radius, the utility rates and property values for surrounding residents, and the overall quality of life.

Residents also suggested alternative uses for the site of the proposed data center, including a sports complex, and amendments to the township’s zoning ordinance, including increased setbacks, which would make the project more difficult to proceed with.

If the amendment is adopted, 1235 Martina Drive Owner LLC would have to go through the zoning approval process, which involves a conditional-use hearing, and the land development approval process.

The township planning commission met Tuesday, April 7, for a public information-gathering session. The commission has 45 days from that hearing to make a recommendation to supervisors, who have final say on the petition.

The developer has not said whether the project would move forward if the zoning changes it seeks fail to receive township approval.

In other news, supervisors unanimously moved to:

• Approve the secretary’s, treasurer’s, and engineer’s reports.
• Approve the police report, which included 194 calls for township and 23 calls for regional for the month of March.
• Approve the payment of the township’s bills.

As part of the public comment window dedicated to non-petition comments, Ryan Flynn, president of the Annville-Cleona Fire Department, informed supervisors about the fire department’s intent to hire a full-time fire department administrator position.

Ed Fogelsanger, a Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority board member, followed with a reminder to South Annville residents about the upcoming tire collection and paper shredding events.

South Annville Township supervisors meet at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings are typically held in the Donald H. Umberger Building, but may be held in the Annville-Cleona Secondary School’s auditorium, depending on anticipated attendance. Next month’s meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 13.