Apr 30, 2026 By Conner Goetz 3 min read

South Strabane supervisors again discussed two long-awaited ordinances relating to data center development in the township following a testy public comment period.

More than 45 township residents attended the Tuesday night meeting, with several calling for immediate action from the board of supervisors.

Township leadership has reviewed a draft ordinance on data center zoning since fall 2025, periodically holding public hearings to solicit input from residents.

Resident feedback at Tuesday’s meeting – in line with previous meetings – was uniformly opposed to data center development in the township, with several residents warning about potentially disruptive light, noise and environmental pollution.

Public consternation about data centers began last fall when real estate firm JLL listed a 1,400-acre property off rural Zediker Station Road for sale by CNX Resources as a prime location for a sizable data center project.

Township solicitor Dennis Makel said he is currently reviewing whitepaper reports on data center development from Luzerne and Lancaster counties for comparable examples to inform the South Strabane ordinance.

He said he is currently reviewing a large amount of public feedback, relevant legal precedent and scholarly resources on data centers to ensure that the final draft ordinance is optimal.

“Whatever we have to do, we have to do it the right way,” Makel said.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Jeff Bull said “if anyone thinks we haven’t committed to this, look at our solicitor’s bills for the last three months. We’re committed.”

According to Bull, there is a lack of resources specifically concerning the impact of data centers of the size that the CNX land could hold.

Resident Judy Penasik said “the only people who don’t have issues with data centers are people who don’t live anywhere near them.”

Penasik added that her cousin lives in Virginia – which hosts some of the highest-density data center development anywhere in the country – said the high-tech industry had been “horrible” for her community.

Resident Cynthia Rossi said she recently visited a data center campus in Ohio and left feeling “violently depressed.”

“It looked like Armageddon; it was unbelievable,” she said. “What I saw doesn’t belong in anyone’s backyard.”

Supervisor Chairman George Rowand said the supervisors will meet in executive session on Wednesday for information relating to the draft ordinances on industrial noise limits and data center zoning, with a third ordinance on fossil fuel power generation tabled until May.

Makel said the township will hold another public hearing on the data center-related ordinances before final adoption votes, but did not specify a date.