Bear Creek Township Office
3333 Bear Creek Boulevard
Bear Creek Township, PA 18702
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Proposed Zoning Amendments:
Bear Creek Township

Bear Creek Township is considering changes to its Zoning Ordinance that would expand the I-1 Industrial District, establish comprehensive regulations for new conditional uses, and create a Natural Resource Protection Overlay to safeguard the Township's environmentally sensitive lands.

Two alternate versions of the I-1 Industrial District expansion are under consideration. Both share the same conditional use standards and performance requirements but differ in the parcels proposed for rezoning. The full proposed ordinances and maps are available below. Printed copies are also available for review at the Bear Creek Township Municipal Building, 3333 Bear Creek Boulevard, during regular business hours.

I-1 Industrial District Expansion (Ordinance No. 3 and No. 4 of 2026)

The amendment expands the boundaries of the I-1 Industrial District by rezoning specific parcels and establishes detailed conditional use standards for multiple types of development. It does not approve any particular project. It establishes the standards a project would have to meet if one is proposed, and all conditional uses would require public hearings and Board of Supervisors approval.

Data Centers

These are buildings equipped with computer and telecommunications equipment used to process and store digital information. The definition also covers artificial intelligence operations, cryptocurrency mining, and blockchain processing. Under the proposal, a data center would require conditional use approval and would be limited to 40,000 square feet per building with a maximum of two buildings per campus. The rules set limits and requirements covering noise (60 dBA daytime, 50 dBA nighttime), vibration, water use, stormwater management, emergency and fire response, buffering and landscaping, and eventual decommissioning of the site. Equipment and buildings would have to be set back at least 500 feet from sensitive receptors such as homes, schools, daycares, places of worship, and parks, and at least 200 feet from residential districts. Operators must use public water or transported water, employ closed-loop cooling systems, provide a decommissioning bond at 110% of estimated removal costs, and enter into a Host Community Agreement with the Township.

Solar Energy Systems

These capture sunlight and convert it to electricity. The proposal separates small accessory systems under 25 kWh (permitted by right in all districts) from larger principal solar energy systems that send power off site. Larger systems would require conditional use approval and must be located on lots of at least 20 acres with 200 foot setbacks from lot lines and 500 feet from sensitive receptors. The rules address noise, glare prevention, screening, stormwater management, and decommissioning. Operators must post financial security at 110% of estimated site restoration costs.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

These systems store energy generated from renewable or other sources for later use. Under the proposal, BESS facilities would require conditional use approval and must maintain 500 foot setbacks from sensitive receptors and 200 foot setbacks from residential districts. BESS units are limited to 20 feet in height, with housing buildings limited to 55 feet and a maximum of 50,000 square feet. All systems must comply with UL 9540 and NFPA 855 standards. Requirements include battery management and monitoring systems, automatic shutoff capabilities, and an Emergency Response Plan approved by the Bear Creek Volunteer Hose Company.

Energy Generation and Distribution Facilities

These are facilities that produce or distribute electrical power. They would require conditional use approval with 500 foot setbacks from residential districts and sensitive receptors. Operations are limited to between 5:00 AM and 10:00 PM. Cooling towers and smokestacks are limited to 250 feet in height. All property owners within 1,000 feet must be notified by mail when an application is submitted.

All Other Non-Residential Uses

Any non-residential use not specifically listed in the Zoning Ordinance may be permitted by conditional use in the I-1 District. Such uses must be consistent with the comprehensive plan, compatible with adjoining uses, and meet minimum setback requirements of 500 feet from sensitive receptors and 200 feet from residential district lot lines. The use must not create traffic hazards, increase danger of fire, overcrowd the land, or otherwise adversely affect the public health, safety, or general welfare.

Water Resource Protection

The ordinance includes provisions requiring that groundwater quality and supply must not be adversely impacted. Any wastewater from system flushing must be certified as properly disposed. Data centers and data center campuses must utilize public water or water transported from a non-Township-based source, and must employ closed-loop cooling systems or equivalent water efficiency measures.

Natural Resource Protection Overlay (Ordinance No. 2 of 2026)

This ordinance establishes a Natural Resource Protection Overlay that applies to all zoning districts in the Township. It identifies and protects environmentally sensitive lands including floodplains, steep slopes, wetlands, watercourses, woodlands, prime agricultural soils, and hydric soils. The overlay establishes site capacity calculations, grading and erosion controls, stormwater management requirements, tree protection standards, and environmental hazard restrictions.

Larger developments (100,000 square feet or more, or more than 20 dwelling units) require conditional use approval. Intense development in any zoning district requires an Environmental Impact Statement.

Documents

Ordinances

Proposed I-1 Zoning District Maps

Prior Drafts

Last updated: August 2026.