News & Updates

Data Center Ordinance Amendment

Proposed Data Center Ordinance Amendment

Lycoming County is proposing an update to its zoning ordinance to address data centers as a land use. The proposed amendment is intended to establish how and where data centers may be considered under the county’s zoning regulations.

What is a data center?
Data centers are physical facilities that house computing equipment and related infrastructure used to store, process, manage, and transmit digital information. This equipment typically includes servers, data storage systems, and network infrastructure.

Data centers may also include accessory facilities and infrastructure, such as electrical utilities, backup power systems, external mechanical equipment, cooling systems, water towers, and security facilities.

Data centers support many of the digital services people and businesses use every day, including internet access, online shopping, gaming, video streaming, cloud computing, cybersecurity, communications, and data processing. They also support emerging technologies and applications, including artificial intelligence (AI).

Source: Cumberland County Planning Department, “Planning for Data Centers” White Paper

Why is Lycoming County proposing an ordinance amendment?
The current Lycoming County Zoning Ordinance does not specifically address data centers as a land use.

Data Centers are an emerging land use that may affect public health, safety, and welfare through impacts on utilities, water resources, emergency response, noise, site design, and neighboring properties. Although Data Centers may include office or administrative space, their primary function is the operation of large-scale computer, electrical, mechanical, cooling, backup power, and utility infrastructure. For zoning purposes, these characteristics are more closely aligned with industrial and infrastructure-related uses than with conventional office, commercial, or warehouse uses.

As this type of development continues to receive attention across Pennsylvania, the county has been monitoring how other municipalities and counties are addressing data centers through their zoning regulations.

To date, the county has not received any data center proposals for the 19 municipalities in which the county administers zoning.

Developing an ordinance amendment now is a proactive step toward establishing a regulatory framework for this emerging land use. The proposed amendment identifies zoning districts where data centers could potentially be considered and establishes a more specific approach to evaluating these facilities under the county’s zoning ordinance.

What Would the Proposed Amendment Do?
The draft amendment is intended to address how data centers are regulated under the Lycoming County Zoning Ordinance.

Residents are encouraged to review the draft ordinance amendment to understand the proposed changes, including:

  • Where data centers could be considered: The zoning districts identified in the proposed amendment.
  • How data centers would be reviewed: The applicable approval process and requirements established by the draft ordinance.
  • What standards would apply: The specific conditions, criteria, and other zoning provisions included in the proposed amendment.
Which municipalities are governed by the Lycoming County Zoning Ordinance?
The Lycoming County Zoning Partnership includes 19 municipalities:

Bastress Township

McIntyre Township

Brown Township

McNett Township

Cascade Township

Mifflin Township

Cogan House Township

Moreland Township

Gamble Township

Penn Township

Jackson Township

Pine Township

Jordan Township

Plunketts Creek Township

Lewis Township

Porter Township

Limestone Township

Salladasburg Borough

McHenry Township

 


What Is the Adoption Process?
The proposed amendment will be reviewed through the county’s established procedure for amending its zoning ordinance and following Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) (Act 247 of 1968) requirements. 

October 15, 2026 — Planning Commission Review
The Lycoming County Planning Commission will discuss the draft amendment at its October 15, 2026 Planning Commission Meeting.  Residents are encouraged to attend.

October 15, 2026 Planning Commission Meeting Agenda

The Planning Commission will consider the proposal and public input as part of its review. If the Commission recommends the amendment, it will advance to the County Commissioners for consideration.

Questions or Comments?
Residents are encouraged to review the draft amendment, read the executive summary, and follow the County’s meeting notices for opportunities to participate in the review process.

For more information, contact:

Lycoming County Department of Planning and Community Development
Phone: (570) 320-2130
Email: lycoplan@lyco.org

Your participation helps inform the County’s planning and zoning decisions.

Resources



Zoning Administration

Please note, we do not accept applications for some municipalities in the county. Please check this map to see if your construction site falls in an area we serve.

The Permit Application must be filled out in its entirety (front and back), signed and dated.  Payment must be included with permit either by cash, check or credit card before it can be processed for review. You can submit permits by mail to Lycoming County Zoning, 48 W. Third St., Williamsport, PA 17701, in person at 33 W. Third St, 3rd Floor (Third Street Plaza), Williamsport, PA 17701 or email to lycoplan@lyco.org. If emailing your Permit Application, please note in body of email how you plan to pay, we do accept credit cards over the telephone or we can email you directions on how to pay online.

All applications require a plot plan. Make certain to download this plot plan, fill out, scan and attach to the application.

Public Notices:  A link to the Department of Environmental Protection's eNOTICE site, where email subscriptions to regulatory updates may be acquired.


County Zoning Maps - Partner Municipalities 

Zoning Hearing Board

Mission

To promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the present and future inhabitants of the County by providing for a rational and orderly pattern of land use, preserving and protecting the County’s natural resources, creating an environment that is reasonably safe from floods and other dangers, and stabilizing the property values of land and buildings.

William J. Klein, Chairman (Moreland Twp) Term expires 12/31/2025
Stephan Brady, Vice-Chairman (Gamble Twp) Term expires 12/31/2025
George (Herman) Logue, Secretary (Gamble Township) Term expires 12/31/2026

Members

Howard Fry, III,  Member (Cogan House Twp) 12/31/2028
Heather George, Zoning Officer
Fred A. Holland, J.D., ZHB Solicitor

Next Meeting

The next scheduled Zoning Hearing Board meeting is Wednesday November 18, 2026 (this will be the 3rd Wednesday due to the holiday the following week)

Meetings are held on the 4th Wednesday of every month, at 6:00pm, at Third Street Plaza, 33 W. Third Street. 3rd floor, Commissioners Board Room.  

Meeting Agendas 
 
June 24, 2026

March 26, 2025

April 23, 2025 

May 28, 2025

June 25, 2025

August 27, 2025

November 19, 2025 

February 25, 2026

 

Meeting Minutes  -  Meetings held within the last six months

2025 - March 26, 2025     

2025 - April 23, 2025

2025- May 28, 2025  

Recent Zoning Amendments

Occasionally, county staff identifies ordinance amendments that are needed to clarify requirements, address inconsistencies, make the zoning ordinance consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, or address uses which are not yet provided for.  Below is a list of amendments to the Lycoming County Zoning Ordinance which have enacted since 2018.  If you have any questions about the attached amendments please contact Mark Haas at 570-320-2146.

Pending Ordinance Amendments