East Manchester Township, York County
After developer inquiries and packed hearings, East Manchester Township adopted rules in April 2026 that restrict data centers to an overlay district centered on the York Bakers Farm land off Gravel Hill Road, near the Brunner Island power plant.
The township Planning Commission recommended a first data center ordinance on June 24, 2025, covering parcels behind the golf course. The hearing that opened October 14, 2025 drew about 200 people and was moved to the fire company hall in Manchester, where about 329 people signed in on October 21; supervisors tabled the draft and adopted Curative Amendment Resolution No. 2025-14 that night. They removed the golf course on November 11, 2025, and at a December 16, 2025 special meeting York Bakers Farm LP asked to be included and the board moved to place the overlay on its land. On February 10, 2026 supervisors added neighboring parcels to reduce the risk of a spot zoning challenge, made data centers a permitted use in the overlay and set a hearing. The Planning Commission recommended approval on February 24, the York County Planning Commission recommended against it in a March 18 staff report, and the board adopted both ordinances unanimously on April 8, 2026.
Ordinance 2026-2 counts substations, generators, battery storage, cooling equipment and backup power as data center accessory uses that must meet the large setbacks and be included in sound studies under the township's noise chapter.
East Manchester TownshipOrdinance 2026-3 requires public water and sewer, a water feasibility study that looks at effects on nearby wells and streams, and proof of Susquehanna River Basin Commission approval for withdrawals of 100,000 gallons a day or more or consumptive use of 20,000 gallons a day or more.
East Manchester TownshipBuildings are limited to 150,000 square feet each (up to 300,000 if that reduces the number of buildings), with 500-foot setbacks and 50-foot buffers along streets, residential districts and sensitive sites.
East Manchester TownshipIn the December 2025 discussion, officials noted a data center on the York Bakers Farm land would add traffic to township roads, while an alternative farm site would have kept most traffic in the neighboring township.
East Manchester TownshipChairman David Naylor said he doesn't want a data center to raise residents' utility costs, but the board was told it likely can't require a dedicated power source because utilities are outside the township's authority.
East Manchester TownshipUnder Section 609.2 of the Municipalities Planning Code, the township declared its zoning deficient for data centers and gave itself 180 days to cure it, which shields it from developers' substantive validity challenges during that period.
East Manchester Township · Curative period ended April 19, 2026 after the board adopted Ordinances 2026-2 and 2026-3In Pennsylvania, the local zoning ordinance sets the route. A conditional use is decided by the elected governing body (supervisors, commissioners or council). A special exception or variance, and an appeal of a zoning officer’s decision, go to the Zoning Hearing Board. Each is a public hearing on a record: affected neighbors can ask for party status, cross-examine witnesses, and appeal. Municipalities can also adopt data center ordinances with enforceable standards.
Know your rights →Organized community opposition is the single most effective check on these projects in Pennsylvania. Show up to hearings, submit comment when it is taken, support legal and expert-witness costs, and press your municipality for a real ordinance. Pennsylvania municipalities cannot simply freeze applications, but a curative amendment under the Planning Code gives them a defined window to fix a defective ordinance.
How communities push back →