1155 Red Fox Road | East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
1155 Red Fox Road | East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
Updated August 14, 2026
Following a public hearing held during its regular business meeting on August 12, 2026, the Smithfield Township Board of Supervisors adopted the curative amendment addressing data centers, data center accessory uses, and disaster recovery facilities. The Board will address additional concerns in a future amendment.
The amendment establishes a new H-1 (Heavy Industrial) Zoning District consisting of parcels in the southern portion of the existing M-1 (Industrial) Zoning District. Data Centers, Data Center Accessory Uses, and Disaster Recovery Facilities are no longer permitted as Conditional Uses in the ED (Economic Development) or M-1 Zoning Districts. These uses are permitted only as Conditional Uses within the new H-1 District and remain subject to all applicable requirements and review procedures.
The Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 621, formally initiating the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) curative amendment process for the Township’s data center ordinance. Under Pennsylvania law, the Township has 180 days from May 6, 2026, to consider and adopt any amendments resulting from the curative amendment process. While that period extends until November 2, 2026, the practical timeline is shorter due to required advertising and review periods.
Over the coming months, the Board, staff, consultants, and planning agencies will continue reviewing potential ordinance revisions. Before any amendment can be adopted, the proposal must be reviewed by both the Smithfield Township Planning Commission and Monroe County Planning Commission and must be publicly advertised in accordance with the MPC.
The dates below illustrate the latest possible timeline if the Township were to use the full 180-day period:
Please Note: The dates above are provided only to illustrate the statutory timeline. No meetings have been scheduled for those specific dates. Information regarding future meetings and opportunities for public participation will be announced as the process continues.
All documents are available as PDFs to promote accessibility. If you would like Word versions of any document, or would like to submit feedback, comments, concerns, or join the mailing list for this ordinance development, please email Township Manager Julia Heilakka at julia@smithfieldtownship.com or attend a public meeting. All public hearings or meetings are streamed via YouTube and are accessible via Zoom. In-person attendance is also welcome.
