The Monroe County Data Center Model Ordinance is a zoning framework designed to guide municipalities in regulating data centers and their accessory uses across Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
🏢 Purpose and Scope
- The ordinance provides a standardized template for local governments to amend their zoning codes to accommodate data centers and related infrastructure.
- It aims to balance economic development with community welfare, ensuring that data centers are properly sited, defined, and regulated.
📘 Key Definitions
- Data Center: A facility primarily used for processing, storing, and transferring digital information, including server farms and cryptocurrency mining operations.
- Accessory Uses: Includes administrative offices, fiber optic infrastructure, cooling systems, fire suppression equipment, and backup power systems—provided they are located on the same tract as the data center.
📍 Zoning and Permitting
- The ordinance outlines which zoning districts may permit data centers by right, conditional use, or special exception.
- It includes dimensional standards, such as a maximum building height of 60 feet (including rooftop equipment), and setback requirements from sensitive receptors like schools, parks, and residential areas.
⚙️ Operational Standards
- Data centers must comply with environmental controls, security features, and infrastructure requirements.
- The ordinance explicitly excludes energy generation systems used for normal operations, focusing instead on emergency backup systems.