On the agenda: Luzerne County meeting — Data Center (May 26)

LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL
PUBLIC HEARING
May 26, 2026
Council Meeting Room
Luzerne County Courthouse
200 N. River Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
AND
Video/Teleconference via ZOOM

5:50 PM CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MOMENT OF SILENCE
ROLL CALL
PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED ORDINANCE to Amend the Luzerne County Zoning
Ordinance to Add Specific Requirements for Buffer Yards Within Municipalities Under Luzerne
Countys Zoning Ordinance Jurisdiction

This is an Opportunity for Members of the Public to Address the Council on the matter listed on
the Agenda. Each speaker shall have three (3) minutes to address Council. Speakers may not yield
or transfer their time to another speaker.
Those attending in person are asked to complete and submit a Speaker Card to the Clerk of
Council before the first speaker is called.
Those attending virtually are asked to refer to the Public Meetings Online page of County’s
Website at https://www.luzernecounty.org/1279/Public-Meetings-Online for more information
on how to participate in Public Comment via technology.
ADJOURNMENT

AGENDA SUBMITTAL TO LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL
ITEM TITLE
Approve Resolution Amending the Luzerne
County Zoning Ordinance to include
definitions and language for buffer yards
Dept:
Contact:
Phone:

COUNCIL MEETING
DATE
Work Session
April 28, 2026

AGENDA
NUMBER

GIS, Planning & Zoning Department
Daniel Reese, Director
570-825-1560

DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that County Council adopt a resolution amending the Luzerne County Zoning
Ordinance to include definitions and language regarding buffer yards between industrial and
residential uses.
SUMMARY:
Luzerne County GIS, Planning and Zoning staff have conducted research on the requirement of
buffer yards between industrial and residential uses within the County. The buffer yard shall be
at a minimum of 30 feet and shall include a minimum of 15 feet of dense vegetation consisting
of native non-invasive plants having an opacity of at least 80% after the first year. The
remaining 15 feet can consist of grass, seed, sod and ground cover. Pollinator habitats are
encouraged in these areas but not required. The buffer yard shall be kept free of all debris and
rubbish. Buffer yards may be reduced to 10 feet if the district boundary is a public street. No
structures, storage, parking, loading/unloading shall be allowed in the required screen planting
area. Fences, berms, masonry walls, trees, shrubs, or a combination thereof may be considered
sufficient for screening purposes.
FINANCING:
This amendment has no financial implications.
ALTERNATIVES:
If Council chooses not to approve this amendment, the zoning ordinance would remain
unchanged and buffer yards will not be required in any future industrial development abutting
residential uses.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Office of Law

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LUZERNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ORDINANCE NO. _______
AN ORDINANCE OF THE LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL,
PENNSYLVANIA, TO AMEND THE LUZERNE COUNTY ZONING
ORDINANCE TO ADD SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR BUFFER
YARDS WITHIN MUNICIPALITIES UNDER LUZERNE COUNTYS
ZONING ORDINANCE JURISDICTION.
WHEREAS, Article VI of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53
P.S. § 10601, et seq., authorizes LUZERNE COUNTY to enact, amend and repeal Zoning
Ordinances within the COUNTY and
WHEREAS, the LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL deems it to be in the best
interest and general welfare of the residents of LUZERNE COUNTY to update and
amend provisions of the LUZERNE COUNTY Zoning Ordinance to provide for Buffer
Yards; and
WHEREAS, the LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL of LUZERNE COUNTY desires to
add provisions to the Zoning Ordinance relating Buffer Yards;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED, by the LUZERNE
COUNTY COUNCIL of LUZERNE COUNTY as follows:
Section 1. Section 203 of the Luzerne County Zoning Ordinance, entitled Definitions, is
amended to add the following definitions and requirements:
Buffer Yards and Screen Planting: Unless otherwise regulated, where buffer yards are
required by the terms of this ordinance, they shall be provided with the following
standards:
1. A buffer yard of at least 30 feet shall be required where development involves
abutment of industrial and residential uses. The buffer yard shall be provided by
whomever initiates the development, and shall not apply to agricultural uses
involving the raising of crops and animals. Buffer yards shall not be applied to
existing uses unless an expansion greater than 50% is proposed.
2. At least 15 feet of the buffer yard shall be planted with a dense screen planting having
an opacity of 80% after the first year and thereafter and shall consist of native, noninvasive. The remainder of the buffer yard area shall be planted with grass, seed, sod
and ground cover. Pollinator habitat development is strongly encouraged in these
buffers. Buffer yards shall be kept free of all debris and rubbish.
a. Landscape Bond
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20260308_LCPC_Zoning_Oridnance_Amendment_3_of_2026_V1_Buffer_Yards

i. The developer or landowner shall provide deposit with the County a
sum of money equal to the amount necessary to cover the cost of
purchasing, planting, maintaining, and replacing all vegetative materials
for a period of (18) months.
ii. Any tree or shrub planted as a part of the landscape buffer requirements
within (18) months of planting or replanting is deemed, in the opinion
of the County, not to have survived or to have grown in a manner
uncharacteristic of its type shall be replaced. Substitutions for certain
species of plants may be made only when approved by the County
3. When said district boundary is a public street, the buffer yard may be reduced to 10
feet and shall be planted with a dense screen planting, having an opacity of 80% after
the first year and thereafter.
4. The required yard space for the district in which the use is located may be considered
as all or part of the buffer yard area.
5. No structure, storage area or parking, loading/unloading area shall be permitted in the
required screen planting area; however, such area may be crossed by access drives.
Automobile parking may be permitted in that portion of the buffer yard not required
for screen planting.
6. The screened buffer may consist of a masonry wall, wood fence, trees, shrubs, berms
or a combination thereof. In the event a masonry wall or wood fence is used for
screening purposes, vegetative landscaping shall be placed and maintained between
the wall or fence and the property line adjacent to the residential district or use to
form an ornamental screen.
Section 2: Severability. If any sentence, clause, section, or part of this Ordinance or of the Zoning
Ordinance is for any reason found to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid, such
unconstitutionality, illegality or invalidity shall not affect or impair any of the remaining
provisions, sentences, clauses, sections, or parts hereof. It is hereby declared as the intent of the
Luzerne County Council that this amendment to the Luzerne County Zoning Ordinance would
have been adopted had such unconstitutional, illegal or invalid sentence, clause, section or part
thereof not been included herein.
Section 3. Repealer. All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances conflicting with any provision of this
Ordinance are hereby repealed insofar as the same affects this Ordinance.
Section 4 Codification. Pursuant to the Luzerne County Home Rule Charter and the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Planning Code, the Luzerne County Zoning Ordinance shall hereby be codified to
incorporate the above-referenced amendments.
Section 5. Effective Date. This amendment to the Luzerne County Zoning Ordinance shall take
effect fifteen (15) days after its adoption. The ordinance shall apply to all Data Center Plans in
municipalities under Luzerne County Zoning jurisdiction submitted on or after the effective date.
DULY ADOPTED AND ENACTED by the Luzerne County Council, this ______ day of ______,
2026, in lawful session duly assembled.
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20260308_LCPC_Zoning_Oridnance_Amendment_3_of_2026_V1_Buffer_Yards

Luzerne County Council:

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