HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-04-01 Commissioner Minutes
WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2026
The Franklin County Commissioners met on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with the
following members present: Dean A. Horst, John T. Flannery, and Robert G. Ziobrowski.
Commissioner Horst presided and after calling the meeting to order, a Moment of Silence, and
the Pledge of Allegiance, proceeded with the business of the day.
On a motion by Robert Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board
unanimously approved to adopt the agenda.
The meeting was recessed at 10:01 a.m. for the Public Hearing: Proposed Amendment
to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) regarding Data Centers.
Planning Director Quentin Clapper presented the proposed amendment to the
Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) related to data centers. He explained
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standards it would establish. Commissioners and residents discussed the need for reasonable
restrictions, the legal inability to ban data centers outright, and the importance of maintaining
municipal authority. Mr. Clapper explained that the Franklin County Planning Commission
served as an advisory body under the Municipalities Planning Code. Its responsibilities included
promoting landuse policies aligned with the comprehensive plan and community vision, as well
as reviewing subdivision ordinances introduced by the Commissioners. The presentation
clarified that subdivision ordinances set minimum requirements for land division and
improvement but could not prohibit lawful land uses or impose moratoriums, consistent with
Pennsylvania Supreme Court rulings and related case law. It was noted that utility providers
determined service availability and that certain regulatory matters fell outside county jurisdiction.
Mr. Clapper emphasized that the amendment did not legalize any unlawful uses, approve
specific data center projects, or provide incentives. Instead, it offered a model ordinance for
municipalities, established safeguards should local ordinances lapse, and introduced
development standards, such as setbacks, closedloop water systems, and buffering
requirements, to mitigate potential impacts.
Commissioner Horst wanted to address rumors about welcoming data centers,
emphasizing that the amendment is intended to regulate and restrict data centers if they come,
not promote them, and reiterated the legal requirement to allow all lawful uses under the
Municipalities Planning Code.
Because of that, the county needs a framework in place to control, limit, and
manage data centers if an applicant ever tries to bring one here. The amendment is designed to
do exactly that by restricting where they can go, set standards for noise, water use, energy, and
environmental impact and prevent unchecked or inappropriate development.
Communications Director Sheena Baker stated that the county had received 79 public
comments about data centers as of this morning. None of the commenters supported data