A proposed plan to build a data center off Fireline Road in Lower Towamensing Township drew concerns Thursday night about water, noise and property values.

The data center is proposed at the sites of Blue Shamrock Golf Course and DTA Alliance LLC, 415 Golf Road.

About 20 people attended Thursday’s township planning commission meeting to discuss a curative amendment filed Sept. 1.

The property owners filed the curative amendment to challenge the township’s zoning ordinance, alleging it is defective because it fails to provide for data center use anywhere in the municipality.

The amendment proposes allowing data centers as a permitted use within an overlay district encompassing the Resort & Recreation (R&R) and Rural Conservation (RC) zoning districts.

The data center developers are the owners of the Alliance Sand Quarry, which is DTA Alliance LLC, and Murphy’s Meadow LLC. Dan Connor, operations manager for DTA Alliance, said that Murphy’s Meadow is owned by DT Allen Contracting in New Jersey, and that 368 acres is under contract, including the Blue Shamrock Golf Course.

Connor added that the property transfer is expected to take place before the end of the year.

The proposal is for multiple properties encompassing about 700 acres, 14 buildings, either under ownership or equitable ownership of the entities commonly known as the Alliance Sand Quarry, which is DTA Alliance LLC, and Murphy’s Meadow LLC.

The challenge was filed to the zoning ordinance was filed Sept. 1. The township’s board of supervisors has 60 calendar days from the date of submittal to conduct a public hearing.

Connor said the drawing shows the general layout, and noted it’s a conceptual plan.

“The sizes of the buildings were arbitrary,” Connor said. “It does show some uses for power.”

Connor noted there’s a provision for a power plant, and that most likely it would be natural gas, as natural gas is the fastest way to get power.

“I always hear people with concerns that it’s going to use water,” Connor said. “That’s old technology.”

‘Not here’

Several residents, including Albert and Suzanne Nelthropp, spoke out against the proposed data center.

“We’re opposed to this completely,” said Albert Nelthropp, who added that he can’t believe a data center has been proposed right smack dab in an area people live in.

While he’s not opposed to data centers per se, Nelthropp questioned why they couldn’t be put in areas where people don’t live rather then in the middle of a small town such as this.

“I’m against it,” he said. “It’s very upsetting to us.”

Suzanne Nelthropp then spoke her mind.

“I don’t know who thought this was a good idea,” Suzanne Nelthropp said. “What do you think is going to happen to our properties, the value of our properties?

“Why do you think it’s a good idea to dump a data center into the middle of a community like this?” Suzanne Nelthropp asked Connor.

Connor then asked Nelthropp where she would prefer it, to which Nelthropp responded, “Not here.”

Rich Banko said that while he’s not totally against a data center, what scares him is drilling wells.

Furthermore, Banko told Connor they have an ideal area to build a data center right along the Lehigh River.

“I don’t understand why it couldn’t be built there,” Banko said. “Don’t drill any wells.”

Zoning in the works

Drew Everett asked the planning commission what it believed the estimated level of completion to be on the township’s zoning ordinance.

Planning commission Chair Angela Farrell said it was at about 95%, and estimated the zoning to be completed within the next several months.

Everett then asked in what zone a data center would be allowed, to which Farrell said it would be industrial.

Connie Banko asked if the comprehensive plan between Palmerton, Bowmanstown, Lower Towamensing Township and Towamensing Township would have any effect on data centers, to which Farrell said at this time she didn’t believe it would.

Farrell then told the residents the planning commission understands their concerns of how that would work, and that the appropriate thing would be to attend a public hearing that will likely be scheduled for the last week in October.

Joe Solt said there’s a much different kind of noise with a data center, which he said is going to produce a hum 24 hours a day.

Mary Farquhar mentioned the increase in consumer demand, which will ultimately raise electricity costs.

“We can’t have all these people losing their homes because they can’t afford (electricity),” Farquhar said.

Suzanne Nelthropp reiterated her concern about their property values.

“That’s a real concern; it affects us in a lot of ways,” she said. “It’s really shocking to me that something like this is even being discussed.”

Solt urged those who attended the meeting to call their friends and attend next month’s public hearing to voice their opinions.

Connie Banko asked why they are looking to use 700 acres for a data center.

Planning commission member Collin Green said that in Pennsylvania there’s a large variety of different kinds of data centers that are out there.

It was stated that residents should follow the township’s website for updates.

Linda Christman, president of Save Carbon County, a local environmental advocacy nonprofit, said the group will be speaking out against this data center.

Christman then told the planning commission that she had two requests.

“Please take your time; it’s a complicated (thing),” Christman said. “This site map is in my opinion inadequate; this has many omissions.”

Christman added that Save Carbon County is going to stick with this issue.

“The leadership on this project has to come from Lower Towamensing (Township) residents,” she said. “The people have got to let their voices be heard.”

The township’s board of supervisors will announce a special meeting to appoint legal counsel for the challenge.

Christman said data centers will occupy huge land areas including environmentally sensitive lands and valued open space. Centers have been proposed in Nesquehoning and Penn Forest Township.

She said the local community cannot adequately oppose these highly funded developments.