SCRANTON, PA. – Officials from Mayor Paige G. Cognetti’s administration and a representative from Pittsburgh-based Environmental Planning & Design attended a Scranton City Council caucus on Tues., Oct. 27, to discuss pending legislation regarding the regulation of data centers. There are no current data center proposals for Scranton officials to consider, but the City continues to explore what regulations, conditions, and requirements will be imposed on data center developers.
“I have spent many hours in packed rooms with our neighbors throughout Lackawanna County as we have come together to stop reckless data center projects,” Mayor Cognetti said. “Widespread development of these facilities without proper safeguards would threaten Scranton’s environment, our quality of life, and the homes and businesses that have been built here over generations. We are ready to protect our city and will continue to work with other municipalities to determine best practices and make sure we are protecting our entire region.”
Tentative changes to Scranton’s zoning ordinance were first proposed by the Cognetti administration and introduced by City Council in March 2026. Those pending ordinances helped stop the clock on speculative data center projects in Scranton, allowing officials time to craft rigid regulations designed to protect the city. Those proposed ordinances will expire at the end of this year if not acted upon by the administration and Council.
Properly regulating all development within city limits is critical because, by law, no municipality can legally exclude a single type of land use within its boundaries. Scranton is also part of an intergovernmental cooperation agreement known as the Scranton-Abingtons Planning Association (SAPA) which allows for cooperative land use agreements across nine member municipalities – Scranton, Clarks Green, Clarks Summit, Dalton, Dunmore, Newton Township, South Abington Township, Waverly Township, and West Abington Township. However, SAPA has not yet collectively addressed data center development. By amending Scranton’s zoning ordinance, officials can protect residents and our environment proactively, rather than exposing the city to potentially dangerous proposals later.
Data centers would be permitted as a conditional use, not a right, and each project would be subject to city approval. Future development would be limited in size and scope to protect Scranton from what are commonly called “hyperscale” data centers.
Technical limitations would include floor area; restricted building heights; minimum setbacks from existing homes, residential districts, parks, and more; maximum noise levels; regulation of supporting accessories including generators and battery storage; minimum renewable energy requirements; water conservation techniques; and specialized training for the Scranton Fire Department and other personnel to respond to emergency situations at future data center sites. Any proposal must also include a decommissioning plan, an environmental and community impact analysis, a stormwater management site plan, and several other reports and impact studies. Non-disclosure agreements will be prohibited – there must be full transparency from the developer and end-user in order to propose any project.
The City has invested more than $23 million into stormwater management and infrastructure projects in just the last few years to protect homes, small businesses, and neighborhoods. Concerns over such potentially dangerous development led Mayor Cognetti to request a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection hearing on the impact of a local PPL Electric Utilities project. That project would rebuild nearly 8 miles of overhead electric transmission lines and disturb over 72 acres of land, causing possible negative impacts to Keyser Creek and its surrounding areas. The hearing will take place Nov. 20, at 5 :30 p.m., at Lackawanna College.
ABOUT THE CITY OF SCRANTON: Incorporated in 1866, the City of Scranton has a population of approximately 76,000 residents and is the sixth-largest municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Scranton City Hall is located at 340 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Residents requiring services should visit www.scrantonpa.gov
ABOUT MAYOR PAIGE G. COGNETTI: Paige G. Cognetti was sworn in as the 36th Mayor of Scranton in January 2020 and took her third Oath of Office in January 2026. Her administration is focused on public safety, fiscal discipline, driving economic growth, upgrading infrastructure, government transparency and efficiency, and improving residents’ overall quality of life.
Scranton Explores Zoning Changes to Defend City Against Data Center Development | Press Release
Last modified: October 28, 2026
