South Whitehall releases extensive Project Atlas review ahead of June 11 Planning Commission meeting
South Whitehall Township has released its comprehensive review of the revised Project Atlas proposal, a planned data center campus across from Parkland High School, ahead of a June 11 Planning Commission meeting.
The 161-page review packet details comments from township staff, engineers, consultants and outside agencies reviewing the latest version of the proposal. While the developer revised its plans following the initial submission, township officials said significant issues remain unresolved.
The Community Development Department recommended that the plans not be approved until the review comments are addressed and updated materials are submitted.
Project Atlas would build a data center campus totaling more than 1.5 million square feet across approximately 411 acres. Plans include three data center buildings, an administration building, a warehouse, an electrical substation, emergency generators, internal roadways, parking areas, stormwater facilities, landscaping, security fencing and a multi-use path.
The project would also include a new roadway connecting Cedar Crest Boulevard at Suncrest Drive to the intersection of Mechanicsville and Mauch Chunk roads, which would be signalized as part of the development. Public water service would be extended to the site, while wastewater would be managed through a private septic system.
The revised application includes more than 70 plans, studies and supporting documents, including transportation studies, stormwater reports, environmental analyses, geotechnical investigations, sound studies, utility designs and economic impact assessments.
In a statement regarding the release, Township Manager Thomas Petrucci said South Whitehall’s responsibility is to review land development applications for compliance with local, state and federal requirements.
“The Township understands the significant public interest surrounding this proposal and recognizes the importance of ensuring that all aspects of the application receive a thorough, objective, and fact-based evaluation,” Petrucci said.
Petrucci said township officials and consultants have extensively reviewed both the original and revised submissions, leading to multiple changes by the developer. He added that the township is legally required under Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code and local ordinances to review development applications and determine whether they comply with applicable regulations.
Traffic, stormwater management and site engineering remain the most significant issues identified in the review.
Township engineers requested additional analysis of nearby intersections, Parkland High School traffic patterns, construction traffic, truck movements and assumptions used in the project’s transportation impact study. Reviewers also requested further information regarding roadway improvements and traffic distribution.
Engineers sought revised drainage calculations, documentation of green infrastructure practices and confirmation that existing stormwater infrastructure can safely accommodate major storm events. Outstanding comments also address roadway design, grading, sight-distance requirements, emergency access, utility infrastructure and stormwater maintenance responsibilities.
The township’s water and sewer consultant requested revised plan sheets and recommended consideration of on-site fire-water storage to help offset potential pressure drops during emergency flow events.
The township’s lighting consultant also found portions of the lighting plan inconsistent with township ordinances, citing fixture heights near residential properties and lighting directed toward neighboring homes.
The peer review questioned assumptions used to estimate municipal service costs, commercial building inventory figures, property tax revenue projections and whether the project’s revised size and scope align with previously cited construction-cost and power-capacity estimates.
Several outside-agency reviews remain pending. As of June 5, township officials had not received comments from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Environmental Advisory Council or the Lehigh County Conservation District and noted that additional comments could result from those reviews.
Petrucci encouraged residents to monitor the township website and Nixle notification system for updates. Project Atlas remains scheduled for discussion at the Planning Commission’s June 11 meeting.
As the review moves forward, township officials said any decision on the proposal will ultimately be based on compliance with applicable ordinances, laws and regulatory requirements.
