Reporting by Peter Becker, Tri-County Independent
Public hearings have been set for the updated plan that was submitted for the proposed Clinton Township data center on 682 acres near the village of Browndale, the first data center application made in Wayne County.
More than a hundred people attended the July 8 Clinton Township Board of Supervisors meeting in Aldenville, where once again the data center planned by Linde Corporation was the dominating topic.
The supervisors settled on the following dates for upcoming discussions about the data center. Meetings and hearings are held at the township garage to accommodate the crowd.
- July 30, 6:30 p.m., public hearing for the latest draft ordinance to amend the township subdivision and land ordinance (SALDO), to regulate data centers ahead of future proposals.
- Aug. 3, 6:30 p.m., first public hearing for the Linde data canter application, to allow the applicant to make its presentation.
- Aug. 17, 6:30 p.m., second public hearing for the Linde data center application, to allow residents and taxpayers who oppose the plan to question the applicant or to present testimony for evidence about the plan.
Interim Solicitor Ronald Bugaj advised that the hearing could take a while, given the intense interest. Splitting the hearing into two parts, he advised, “would be fair and balanced for both sides.”
Bugaj said that the two hearings could last “four to five hours” each time and advised the public “to be prepared.”
Katie Zefran, one of the Browndale residents helping to lead the opposition, asked if the supervisors would have time to hire professional experts to evaluate the impacts of the project.
Bugaj cautioned that the supervisors can do that, but need to remember “there is a 90-day clock that has already started to tick” for the township to act on the application, since the planning commission accepted the revised plan on July 1. Without action, the application will be deemed approved unless both parties agree to an extension, he said.
Chairperson Mark Lopatofsky asked Bugaj to see if Linde is willing to extend the time.
Clinton Township replaces solicitor in lead-up to public hearings
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code allows for the applicant to bear a substantial amount of the township’s expense of engineering, professional and legal fees, Bugaj said. He advised acting quickly also because professional services are involved with other data center projects.
Zefran urged consideration to retain the engineering firm Barry Isett & Associates for this project. The firm advertises itself as supporting municipalities addressing large-scale development and data centers.
The supervisors approved pursuing this firm to assist the township engineering firm, Kiley Associates.
Bugaj prepared a form for the public and other interested parties who wish to be intervenors at the hearings, pending supervisors’ acceptance. An intervenor has the right to question witnesses under oath, cross-examine and present evidence at the hearings.
The form, which needs to be filled out and returned to the township, is available on the township website. Numerous people were seen taking a copy of the form after the supervisors’ meeting.
After long discussion, the supervisors agreed to formally replace Jeffrey Treat as solicitor and to appoint a successor who they prefer to have represent the township in matters concerning the data center project. Bugaj has been serving on an interim basis since May 29.
After lengthy back and forth with the audience, the supervisors approved retaining Bugaj as interim and interviewing another lawyer Lopatosfsky recommended.
Community opposition to proposed Clinton Township data center
Clinton Township resident Jay Vogt said that both Treat and Bugaj make good points. He asked if the township is finding someone best to represent them in this matter. “They’re playing chess, we’re playing checkers,” Vogt said. “Knock it off.”
He urged the township to stand united and not allow “decades” of adverse impacts from a large data center.
Bugaj said he would “stay on for now” but that there was “a lot of hostility” from the audience which he does not like having to endure. He said he has 45 years’ experience as a township solicitor and successfully served Clinton previously.
The hostile reactions from the crowd, one woman in the audience said to the board, are because the residents “are scared” of the perceived impacts to their lives of this 21-building complex proposed in their neighborhood.
Before the meeting began, the public’s growing, organized resistance was evident with people wearing new yellow T-shirts emblazoned with “We say NO DATA CENTERS.” They also had yard signs and a petition to sign.
Fundraisers are underway to raise funds for an attorney to represent the residents standing united in their opposition.
As the board discussed scheduled a hearing for the data center ordinance, Bugaj cautioned, “I’m telling you, if you think Linde’s development is the only development that is coming to Clinton Township, you’re sorely wrong. There will be other developments coming here and you need to be ready.”
The regular Aug. 12 meeting of the Clinton Township Board of Supervisors has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m.
Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent.
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