JACKSON – The Township Council voted to introduce an ordinance designed to regulate/ban data centers in the community during the most recent meeting.
While Council meetings have often seen lively and emotional debate between officials regarding certain ordinances, the subject of data centers has been a noted exception. All five council members are against them being built in town. However, the means to curb data center development was a point of disagreement.
Ordinance 2026-25 drafted by Councilman Chris Pollak would amend township code and is entitled “Land Use and Development Regulations.”
Council Vice President Giuseppe Palmeri said during a prior meeting that “as long as the ordinance doesn’t legally jam us up you’ve got my vote for it.” During the latest meeting he remarked that in speaking with residents they felt “this ordinance was an extra layer of protection. You spoke, I listened, and so I’m voting yes.”
Councilman Nino Borrelli noted that “data centers have been in the news not only here in New Jersey but throughout our country. They have been around for a little while. Regarding this ordinance I think we are getting ahead of the data center issue getting some kind of law on the books.”
“From what I’ve researched data centers have become a national issue and increases massive energy consumption which would ultimately effect our electric bills. It requires higher water consumption as well which could very well impact water resources in our town,” he added. “We have enough power outages in Jackson.” He noted that they could also cause an increase of municipal services.
Councilman Ken Bressi previously expressed that a state land use law indicated that having an ordinance prohibiting locations for data centers might actually “hinder you” and have the opposite effect.
During the latest meeting he said, “I disagree that this ordinance puts us a foot up. In my opinion this ordinance actually helps the applicants and lawyers for data centers.”
“Currently, they are not allowed in any zone in town. Municipal land use law sticks by that. They would have to go to the zoning board. With this ordinance they would still have to go to the Zoning Board. That would give them a couple of choices. One, once this ordinance is signed in place, they can fight this ordinance and take it to court after 45 days. Two, if they go to the Zoning Board and get denied, once again they can fight the ordinance rather than fight the Zoning Board. That can lead them getting it overturned. The appeal process gives three bites of the apple instead of one this way,” Bressi explained and voted no.
Pollak said, “All the debate here is well intentioned. Nobody wants data centers. I have a concern for the future. The world and technology are changing. Data centers are popping up. What will our communities look like in 10 years? I believe the government’s job is not to wait something becomes a problem and react. I think our responsibility is to get ahead of things and be proactive.”
He added that the township has sensitive environmental properties, some of which is located in the Pinelands “and this ordinance recognizes those environmental and infrastructure concerns.”
Council President Mordechai Burnstein remarked, “it is great to have a civil conversation up here. I had the opportunity to speak to our legal team, our engineers, to our zoning officer and to some elected state officials on both sides of the aisle and I think there will be some movement in Trenton in the near future on this issue.”
“After much thought I am going to follow along with Councilman Bressi at this point. I am concerned about what this will open the doors to. As Councilman Pollak and Bressi said no one up here wants data centers. We don’t have the infrastructure for it. I think we are better protected by not moving forward with this ordinance but I duly note that the ordinance has passed first reading 3 to 2.”
Put A Lid On It
Burnstein noted that in recent weeks the township has “experienced extremely heavy rainfall and storms resulting in localized flooding and downed trees. During periods of flash flooding and storms drains can quickly become clogged with leaves, debris and trash. Residents are reminded to be mindful of the weather when placing trash receptacles at the curb. Please ensure that containers have secure lids to prevent loose trash from blowing or washing into storm drains.”
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