The developer behind a massive proposal to build 18 data centers in Archbald has taken legal action, claiming the project has already been approved by default. Archbald I LLC issued a public notice on Friday asserting that "Project Scott" gained automatic approval on March 31 after the Archbald Borough Council reportedly failed to meet a mandatory state deadline to conclude a conditional-use hearing.
The proposed campus would span 400 acres bordering Staback Park. Under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, if a governing body fails to hold a hearing or render a decision within specific timeframes, the application can be "deemed approved." The developer’s move seeks to bypass the council’s recent unanimous vote to deny the project, which occurred on March 27.
Legal experts note that this "deemed approval" status is not final and can be challenged in the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas. Such appeals are expected to come from the borough itself or organized resident groups who have spent months vocally opposing the scale of the data center developments in the region. The borough solicitor has not yet publicly responded to the developer's legal maneuver.
