Hampden Township Data Center Zoning
Hampden Township, Cumberland County
A data center project in Hampden Township, Cumberland County, and it is no longer proceeding in its original form.
The project by the numbers
Denied by Hampden Township, Cumberland County
- Current stage
- The municipality denied the application.
- Decision body
- Hampden Township
- Top issues
- Residents and officials have focused on water use, continuous mechanical noise, and emissions from backup generation.
- Key opponents
- Residents along Wertzville Rd corridor; East Pennsboro neighbors; ~2 dozen public speakers
- Key supporters
- Township planners (Jamie Keener) argued for proactive guardrails
July 2025 discussions; public hearing + 5-0 denial Sept 25 2025; second 5-0 denial Mar 19 2026.
How it has unfolded
- 2025-09-25Hampden Twp rejects DC zoning amendment 5-0
- 2026-03-19Hampden Twp 2nd 5-0 denial
Coverage of this project
- 2026-04-22 Government TechnologyWhy a Pennsylvania County Pushed Pause on Data CentersWater concerns / Office Park district
- 2026-03-19 ABC27Midstate township rejects controversial data center amendmentSecond 5-0 rejection / 200-ft setback
- 2025-09-25 ABC27Hampden Township rejects data center zoning amendment (first 5-0)First ordinance rejection
Know your rights
In Pennsylvania, a data center on industrial land usually needs a special exception or conditional use, decided by a local Zoning Hearing Board after a public, quasi-judicial hearing. Neighbors can request party status, cross-examine witnesses, and build an evidentiary record. Municipalities can also write data-center ordinances with enforceable standards.
Know your rights →Take action
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 ask your municipality for a moratorium and a real ordinance.
How communities push back →