After months of discussion, Springdale’s Planning Commission offered its blessing to a massive data center proposed in the borough.
In a unanimous vote Monday night, the three-member body opted to recommend that Springdale Council approve the project.
The commission, which is not elected, is only an advisory group. The elected council members have the final say on whether to approve or reject the developers’ conditional-use application.
Monday’s meeting marks the fourth time the commission convened to consider the proposal. It had already pushed back a decision three times.
The commission offered its recommendation with conditions, however.
Developers from Allegheny DC Property Co. already have agreed to 18 conditions for their proposal. Many govern things like noise, light and security at the site.
The Planning Commission recommended modifying one condition to allow developers to test backup generators only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Another suggested modification is that the developers perform frequency modeling in addition to noise modeling.
The body also recommended council continue to look at moving site access away from Duquesne Avenue and having developers perform ambient noise studies at the height where equipment would actually be located, rather than ground-level testing.
Planning Commissioner David Prevost said he still has a lot to digest, but he felt the process had run its course before the advisory group.
“I think we went as far as we could go as the Planning Commission,” Prevost said.
He said he didn’t see the need for any further delays.
Brian Regli, a consultant for Allegheny DC, said he was glad to get the nod, but he’s not celebrating until the lights are on and the computers are running at the data center.
“This is the beginning of a process,” Regli said.
He said he’s looking forward to presenting more evidence to borough council.
In addition to its recommendation to council, the commission also voted to allow developers to increase the height of a proposed perimeter fence to 8 feet and make slight modifications to parking stalls at the site.
Those issues had previously fallen before the borough’s Zoning Hearing Board, but developers brought the variance requests to the Planning Commission instead. Several other variances, including those that could determine the height of the building, remain for the Zoning Hearing Board to decide.
The vote took place after a presentation by developers about the noise that could be generated at the site by cooling fans and backup generators, which has proved a consistent concern among officials and residents alike.
In addition to the constant sound of the cooling systems, Regli said the generators would have to be tested once a month for about 15 minutes each. The site’s preliminary design has 114 such generators.
Regli said that testing could happen for several hours over a shorter span like two days or for several days during shorter intervals. Generators would likely be tested in tandem, and times could be planned with the borough and released in advance, he said.
A few dozen residents showed up for the meeting at Springdale’s gymnasium. The Planning Commission vote didn’t generate as many attendees as previous events.
Springdale resident Jim Marsili, who has been at several previous meetings, said he is concerned about the amount of time backup generators would have to be tested on the site, in addition to concerns about diesel fuel emissions.
“It’s up to you to protect the people, the residents of the borough,” Marsili told the commission before the vote. “Just do your job.”
The proposal will now head to borough council, which reconvenes at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 24.
Developers already presented two witnesses at the first hearing last month, but they’re set to offer six more. That’s in addition to any witnesses offered by opposing counsel Tom Kloehn, who represents Springdale resident Mitch Karaica.
Springdale Borough Council will ultimately have to vote on the conditional-use application and any further conditions on the developers. They could also add other conditions.
