A Brief Explainer for Citizens Attending Local Meetings
People always say that real change starts at the local level. But understanding local government can be its own challenge. Supervisors, commissioners, boards, councils… it can feel like alphabet soup.
This page breaks down municipal government in Cumberland County as it pertains to the current discussions around data centers. This guide is meant to be a first place to start to understand municipal government as a whole here, as well as a jumping-off point so you can better understand how your township or borough makes decisions.
Municipal Bodies
Cumberland County is made up of boroughs and townships.
- Boroughs are governed by a borough council. Think New Cumberland, Camp Hill, Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Newville, etc.
- First-class townships are usually more suburban or rural areas with a population density of over 300 people per square mile. In Cumberland County, these include Hampden, Upper Allen, Lower Allen, and East Pennsboro. First-class townships are governed by a board of commissioners.
- Second-class townships (all the others in Cumberland County) are governed by a board of supervisors.
The number of commissioners or supervisors depends on the township. You can look up your elected officials here: Cumberland County Elected Officials By County
While all these roles are elected positions with specific terms, they are generally part-time roles. Members may have other full-time jobs. Compensation is modest — often $1,000–$3,000 annually.
Responsibilities include:
- Passing ordinances (rules about what can be built where, and under what conditions)
- Adopting budgets
- Managing township property and public works
- Hiring township staff
- Enforcing zoning
Advisory and Quasi-Judicial Boards
In addition to elected officials, most townships have appointed bodies:
The planning commission reviews plans, applications, and proposed zoning changes and will provide recommendations to the board of supervisors. Members are appointed, not elected.
If you decide to attend one of the open, public meetings of the planning commission, keep in mind that the planning commission provides recommendations to the board of supervisors, but it does not itself make final rulings. For instance, if a plan comes before the planning commission, it could be because the board of supervisors specifically asked the planning commission to review it. The planning commission would not actually “approve” or “deny” the proposed plan; rather, they would make a recommendation to the board that the board “approve” or “deny” it.
In addition to the planning commission, the zoning hearing board functions like a quasi-judicial body, hearing appeals of zoning decisions, requests for variances and special exceptions. Members are also appointed.
Pennsylvania Sunshine Act: Meetings and Public Access
Things you should know as a resident of a municipality:
- Meetings of all these bodies are open to the public under Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act.
- Agendas must be posted at least 24 hours in advance.
- Special and rescheduled meetings must be advertised in a local newspaper with at least 24 hours advance notice.
- Meetings where action will be taken (decisions made) must include a period for public comment.
- You are allowed to record public meetings.
Read more about this important legislation here: https://www.openrecords.pa.gov/SunshineAct.cfm
Zoning and Ordinances
Zoning ordinances dictate what land uses are allowed in different districts (Agricultural, Residential, Rural Resource, Commercial/Light Industrial, Industrial, etc.). These may be different depending on what kind of area you live in, but each zone specifies whether a particular “use” is permitted outright or requires extra review.
A “use” could be anything from “agriculture” to “sawmill” to “office buildings” to “antennas and broadcast equipment” to “kennel.” You’ll want to look at your municipality’s ordinances for specifics on these.
In any particular zone, any “use” might be generally allowed, allowed with conditions, or allowed by special exception only. These are terms you will hear a lot in conversations about data centers:
Tiers of Use:
- By Right / Permitted Use
A use explicitly allowed in that zoning district. If an applicant meets all the technical requirements (setbacks, height, parking, etc.), the township must approve it. Denial could expose the township to lawsuits. - Conditional Use
Allowed only if specific conditions are met and after review by the governing board. Requires a public hearing. Provides more opportunities for citizen input and for the township to impose conditions (environmental protections, buffers, etc.). - Special Exception
Similar to conditional use, but decided by the zoning hearing board instead of the supervisors/commissioners. Also requires a public hearing.
Currently, municipal legislation in Cumberland County doesn’t always account for data centers in any of these categories, which leaves a gap. Due to the expanded interest in this area, local municipalities’ boards may be making an effort to bring data centers into their ordinances and zoning laws in order to better respond should a proposed plan eventually come before them.
Overlay Districts
An overlay district is a zoning tool that applies additional rules on top of existing zoning for a particular area. The base zoning rules still apply, but the overlay adds more requirements or additional context. For example, an overlay could provide stricter ordinances to specifically protect wildlife or a natural resource, or it might grant special permissions in order to boost economic activity in a particular area.
A Couple More Good-to-Knows
- Challenging votes: Zoning or ordinance changes can sometimes be appealed on procedural grounds (e.g., improper notice), though deadlines are short: often 30 days or less.
- The 24-hour rule: Agendas must be posted at least one day before meetings, and you have the right to see what will be discussed.
TL;DR:
Protect Cumberland County’s stance is that it is not inherently bad for townships to add language to their ordinances that spells out where data centers can go—Pennsylvania law requires municipalities to account for all possible land uses. The key is how they’re zoned. We believe data centers should be listed as a conditional use and allowed only in the most industrial zones—not in office parks, commercial districts, or anywhere near neighborhoods.
Depending on a township’s setup, data center proposals or zoning changes might pass through a board of supervisors or commissioners, the planning commission, and/or the zoning hearing board. As a resident, you have the right to attend these meetings, ask questions, and share your perspective.
The best time to influence outcomes is early in the process, before a specific plan hits the table. That’s when townships are still deciding which zones could allow a data center and whether it should be conditional or “by right.” If you see that conversation on an upcoming agenda, that’s your moment to show up, listen, and speak up.
For more details on why data centers should be zoned this way, head to About Data Centers in Cumberland County.
Hampden Township is currently reviewing draft ordinances regarding data center zoning. Learn more and find out how to get involved on our Hampden Township page!
Middlesex Township has a data center build-out in progress. Learn more on our Middlesex Township page!
