South Annville Twp. data center project scrapped after grass-roots opposition

The petition for zoning changes to facilitate a proposed $1.7 billion data center in South Annville Township was withdrawn Tuesday afternoon by the York-based developer.

A letter from attorney Jonathan D. Andrews of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, the law firm representing 1235 Martina Drive Owner LLC, informed township supervisors that “the Petitioner has decided to no longer pursue the development of a data center in South Annville Township. By way of this letter, Petitioner hereby withdraws its request.” 

That request was to amend the South Annville Township zoning ordinance and map in relation to a proposed data center project. The developer sought to rezone about 58 acres of new industrial (I-1) zoning across four parcels of land totaling about 99 acres. 

The changes were being pursued by 1235 Martina Drive Owner LLC, a joint venture between the developer, Inch & Co., and Eastern Land & Resources Co., owner of the 99-acre site. The project would have been built along the western side of Mount Pleasant Road near U.S. Route 422, just west of Annville Borough.

Joe Eisenhauer, vice president of development for Inch & Co., did not return requests for comment. However, Eisenhauer told LebTown during an early April interview that he would withdraw from the project if there was overwhelming public opposition.

Data center opponent and grass-roots organizer Michael Schroeder said he was “on cloud nine” with the news of the developer’s decision to end the venture.

“The developers were able to see the tremendous popular opposition to this proposed data center. They could see that we were numerous and powerful and well organized and determined and could see that it was gonna be a real fight to get this thing built,” Schroeder said. “And I think they evaluated their options and decided it wasn’t worth it.”

Eisenhauer told LebTown in early April that while the project was still in the concept stage, the plan was for five buildings, each about 150,000 square feet. He added that they would be designed to accommodate equipment on the roof, such as blower fans, chillers, and generators.

Schroeder said he believes the unanimous vote by the South Annville Township Planning Commission on May 5 against recommending the zoning change was the impetus for the withdrawal.

From April 7, the date of the first presentation to the township’s planning commission, until Tuesday’s decision to withdraw, public opposition to the project grew exponentially, according to Schroeder. 

He noted that over 500 signatures had been gathered on a project opposition petition.

LebTown asked Schroeder if he believed the power of grass-roots organization was integral in the decision to end the petition to rezone the land.

“I think you can see in this instance how powerful it can be when community members come together in common cause for something that affects them all. This was something that transcended political parties. We are a very polarized country right now in our communities and our families can be polarized,” he said.

This cause, however, united what he said was over one-third of the adult population in South Annville Township who signed the petition.

“But this is something that went beyond politics because it has to do with basic quality of life. The air that we breathe and the water that we drink and the community we live in and the kind of community we want to live in,” added Schroeder. “And so, you know, the grassroots level was just so heartening to see. People just showed up and just volunteered. And when we were collecting signatures and names and email addresses at the first supervisors meeting back in April, we put the list together and people really stepped up and volunteered to do things. … So the power of a community that came together was just a really beautiful sight to behold.”

Schroeder added that while this battle was won, the war wages on. He said the next step is to encourage township officials to adopt an ordinance regarding data centers.

“There is no data center ordinance in South Annville Township and we need one, and one that safeguards the public interest,” Schroeder said. “I know that there’s at least half a dozen other municipalities, just from looking through LebTown archives, because you guys have documented at least half a dozen other municipalities that are grappling with data center ordinances. So, you know, this is an ongoing issues, and this is certainly not the end of anything.”

The regularly scheduled supervisors meeting will still be held at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Annville-Cleona High School as previously advertised.

While the data center is still on the agenda, South Annville Township manager/secretary Jeanette Henning told LebTown there will not be any discussion by the board now that the petition has been withdrawn.