HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (Warren County) — The Hackettstown Town Council passed an ordinance on Oct. 8 prohibiting data centers in all zoning districts throughout the town, citing concerns over electricity consumption, water usage, noise and environmental impacts.
The ordinance amends the town’s Land Development Ordinance to classify data centers as a prohibited use, preventing their development in any zoning district within Hackettstown.
According to the ordinance, town officials determined that data centers pose significant challenges to local infrastructure, environmental resources and long-term land use planning.
“The governing body adopted this ordinance to protect Hackettstown’s character, infrastructure, and quality of life. Data centers can place significant demands on electricity, water, and other municipal resources, and we believe our land-use regulations should reflect the long-term interests of our residents and community,” Mayor Jerry DiMaio told RNJ.
Among the concerns identified by the council are substantial electricity demands that could strain local and regional power infrastructure, significant water consumption for cooling systems, continuous noise from mechanical equipment and backup generators, and limited on-site employment relative to the amount of land required.
The ordinance also cites potential increased demands on municipal services, including police, fire and emergency response.
Town officials referenced preliminary data indicating that large-scale data centers can consume as much as 3 million to 5 million gallons of water daily, including water used for cooling and electricity generation.
The ordinance also notes that some data centers require as much as 300 megawatts of electricity, raising concerns about energy costs and infrastructure capacity.
According to the council, the development of data centers would conflict with Hackettstown’s existing land use patterns, infrastructure limitations and environmental constraints.
The town’s 2018 Master Plan Reexamination Report emphasizes preserving the historic district and surrounding older residential neighborhoods, protecting open space and recognizing environmental limitations.
Officials also cited the Highlands Regional Master Plan, which regulates development intensity, infrastructure expansion and environmental impacts in designated Highlands areas.
Under the ordinance, a data center is defined as a facility primarily used for storing, managing and processing digital or electronic data, including buildings housing servers, computer networks, telecommunications equipment and related infrastructure.
The prohibition also applies to associated equipment and operations, including electrical substations, transformers, generators, cooling systems and other supporting facilities.
However, the ordinance provides an exception for facilities primarily used for internal operations by licensed health care facilities or providers, provided they do not operate as commercial data processing or colocation facilities for unaffiliated entities.
The council determined that data centers should be distinguished from warehouses and other industrial uses because of their unique infrastructure requirements and potential environmental impacts.
The ordinance was introduced during the council’s Sept. 10 meeting before receiving final approval on Oct. 8.
Under its provisions, the ordinance takes effect following passage and publication as required by law.
