Following a widely attended and contentious community meeting for the Amazon data center in Falls Township, the Supervisors on Monday approved a resolution declaring a portion of the zoning ordinance “substantively invalid.”
Commonly referred to as a “curative amendment,” township attorney Lauren Gallagher called it a “protective measure for any substantive validity challenge” that would potentially be filed within the 180-day period that the township has designated for review and possible changes to its zoning ordinance.
Gallagher said township staff will review sections of the existing zoning ordinance and determine if an amendment is needed. Any changes would be brought back to the board within 180 days, she said.
“We heard the people,” Falls Supervisor John Palmer said, referring to the outcry from data center opponents who have called for an evaluation of township zoning as it relates to data centers, a clear definition of what a data center is, as well as infrastructure and utility requirements for constructing a data center in Falls.
The curative amendment would have no impact on Amazon’s data center, which was approved in March 2025 and has been under construction for some time.
Several community members asked for copies of the resolution and any forthcoming ordinance changes. Township Manager John Shepherd said that once a draft ordinance is provided to the Supervisors, Falls Township Planning Commission and Bucks County Planning Commission, it would also be posted on Falls Township’s website. Changes to the zoning ordinance would also be advertised, Gallagher said.
Resident Toni Battiste suggested including limits on water and energy use, as well as the possibility of expansions for data centers.
“If you need people to come in, I’m sure we can find volunteers,” Battiste said, noting that residents want to provide input.
Supervisor Vice Chair Erin Mullen, who ran Monday’s meeting, said the board is “taking this seriously,” is open-minded, intends to get the public’s feedback and will share progress along the way.
“We don’t have a magic wand to just say ‘you have to do these 100 things in order to come to our township,’” Mullen said. “There are legal things involved. You can’t be so restrictive that it’s impossible for a business to come here.”
Mullen and the rest of the board, along with residents, will strive to find solutions that are “grounded in facts and professional guidance and what’s ultimately in the long-term interest of the township.”
