ARCHBALD, PA — The Archbald Borough Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to deny a conditional use zoning application for the proposed Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus, delivering a victory to hundreds of local residents who fought the massive industrial project for nearly a year.
The 7-0 decision officially concludes an extensive municipal review process that featured nine public hearings, 26 hours of legal arguments, and testimony from noise consultants, public health experts, and environmental analysts. Submitted by Brooklyn-based Cornell Realty Management LLC, the conditional use permit sought authorization to construct 14 three-story data center buildings spanning 578 mountainside acres above the borough’s Eynon and Sturges sections.
Throughout the proceedings, grassroots community groups, including the STOP Archbald Data Centers coalition, packed borough meetings wearing matching yellow shirts and holding signs urging council members to deny the permit. Opponents argued that the facility would degrade quality of life through high electricity and water consumption, while 588 planned diesel backup generators threatened local air quality and baseline ambient noise levels.
Attorneys representing Cornell Realty Management argued that the project satisfied all technical standards outlined in the borough's conditional use overlay district and asked council to evaluate the application solely on submitted evidence. However, borough council members ultimately determined the developer failed to demonstrate full compliance with municipal zoning requirements and public welfare protections.
Legal representatives for the developer declined to comment immediately following the vote. Under Pennsylvania land-use law, Cornell Realty Management has 30 days to file a formal appeal in the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas.
