S. Annville discusses updates to zoning ordinance for data center developments

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

At the June 10 meeting, South Annville Township supervisors engaged in a conversation with a group of residents represented by Michael Schroeder regarding updating the township’s zoning ordinance to address data centers.

Chairman Dale Hoover advised the group that supervisors are looking at zoning ordinance drafts presented by township solicitor Josele Cleary and hope to have something more concrete for consideration at next month’s meeting.

“Pennsylvania law is on the side of the developers. So, we are restricted. We can’t go in and say, ‘Well, here’s a 100-foot by 100-foot, and you have to have a 100-foot setback.’ That’s not going to fly. That’s so restrictive that any court is going to throw that out,” said Hoover.

“So, it’s a tightrope to walk. We are trying to get it as restrictive as we can and still stay within the laws of Pennsylvania. … I think we have the best attorney in Pennsylvania to do that.”

The zoning ordinance draft will be reviewed by supervisors, the South Annville Township Planning Commission, and the Lebanon County Planning Department. The draft will be advertised prior to a public hearing. Supervisors will then consider the zoning ordinance draft for approval.

The supervisors’ goal is to update the township’s zoning ordinance before another data center development is proposed. The process of a data center development being considered for approval takes months.

Also during public comment, Ed Fogelsanger, a Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority board member, thanked the township for featuring information on its website regarding the free paper-shredding event on Friday, June 26, from 8 a.m. to noon, with a shred truck set up at the Electronics Recycling Facility, 1805 Russel Road, Lebanon.

Township manager Jeanette Henning said Eagle Secure Solutions recommended that an out-of-date workstation at the South Annville Township Police Department be replaced by a new workstation, including a computer and monitor. Eagle Secure Solutions provided a quote of $2,519.84, and supervisors okayed the purchase.

Henning also announced that the township received the first “of hopefully many” grants for South Annville Township Police from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The $922.85 grant covers roughly the cost of one bulletproof vest.

Additionally, Henning plugged that South Annville Township Authority is searching for a volunteer to serve on its board for a five-year term. The board meets on the first Wednesday of every other month to review reports and discuss decisions regarding the sewer system.

Also during updates, supervisors congratulated Dane Wolfe on five years of perfect attendance as a crossing guard for the Annville-Cleona Middle/High School.

In other news, supervisors unanimously moved to:

• Approve the secretary’s and treasurer’s reports.
• Approve the engineer’s report, which included:
  • The completion of crack sealing projects in Olde South Crossing and a portion of the Meadows at Bachman Run by Pro Seal Asphalt Maintenance, which involved crack sealing of an additional 1,500 linear feet. An original bid of $4,410 resulted in an invoice total of $5,794.20, okayed for payment by supervisors.
  • The start of MS4 inspections by Allison Garner next week, weather-dependent.
  • The notification that grant applications for Lebanon County’s Community Development Block Grant program are due on Monday, Aug. 17.
• Approve the police report, which included 128 calls for the township.
• Approve the payment of the township’s bills.

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, July 8.