Luzerne County’s proposed data center zoning ordinance amendment will be discussed at Thursday’s county Planning Commission meeting, officials said.
The commission voted in May to recommend the amendment to the council after four revisions and several public comment sessions.
However, the county law office requested additional time to perform its own review. Because additional alterations are recommended, the commission must vote on those changes before the amendment advances to the council.
An explanation of all suggested changes will be fully explained to the commission at Thursday’s meeting, the administration said.
Thursday’s public commission meeting is at 2 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
If approved by County Council, the amendment would take effect in 19 municipalities that rely on county zoning instead of handling it on their own: the boroughs of Avoca, Courtdale, Dupont, Duryea, Hughestown, Jeddo, Laflin, New Columbus, Pringle, Warrior Run, West Wyoming, and Yatesville, and the townships of Conyngham, Fairmount, Hunlock, Huntington, Lake, Ross, and Union.
The proposed amendment covers an exhaustive set of conditions that must be met and mandates more extensive special exception approval from the county Zoning Hearing Board for all data center requests.
When the zoning amendment recommendation is presented to the council, it would require an introduction vote and then a public hearing and majority council approval at a subsequent meeting.
Redevelopment Authority
Citizen questions have been raised about why two of the five authority members were not present for two recent authority votes on recommending a buyer for the county rail line owned by the authority.
The authority voted at its regularly scheduled Sept. 15 meeting to sell the rail line to R.J. Corman Railroad Co. for $8.2 million, with all three participating members in agreement. After County Council vetoed that recommendation, the authority held a special meeting on Sept. 29 and approved a sale to Reading and Northern Railroad in a 2-1 vote — a recommendation accepted by the council the following day.
Board member John Pekarovsky said he informed the board in advance he could not attend the Sept. 15 meeting because he had a post-surgery medical follow-up appointment in Philadelphia. He said he would have voted in agreement with the initial decision to recommend R.J. Corman because its purchase proposal provided the most upfront cash.
Reading and Northern offered a $10 million package — $7 million cash at closing plus $3 million for specific track-related rehabilitation services to be spent during the first three years — in addition to a commitment to make upgrades to provide recreational passenger-train excursions from a depot in Wilkes-Barre.
Pekarovsky said he already had another 1 p.m. meeting scheduled when the authority called the special noon meeting on Sept. 29. He attended the authority meeting until 1 p.m. and said he immediately called back when his other obligation was completed, but the authority meeting was over by then.
If he had been present, Pekarovsky said he again would have agreed with the majority in recommending Reading and Northern. Pekarovsky said R.J. Corman took back its bid deposit.
“To me, that voids their bid,” Pekarovsky said of R.J. Corman.
Upon questioning during the Sept. 29 meeting, an R.J. Corman representative said the company has not withdrawn its proposal, and the company is prepared to resubmit the deposit if necessary.
Kelly Mulhern, the other authority member absent for both votes, could not immediately be reached for comment.
The council appoints members to the volunteer authority board. Mulhern was appointed in February.
County property
The county’s three-story brick structure at 54 W. Union St. in Wilkes-Barre is still actively listed for sale, and two offers already have been submitted.
The two purchase proposals received to date are under review, said Jonathan J. Nelson Real Estate.
County Council would have to approve a sale.
The 6,500-square-foot property is listed at $373,000, which is the market value established in a July 2025 appraisal.
The real estate posting said the property is a well-maintained commercial building with three finished floors and an unfinished lower level that can “accommodate a wide range of uses,” including “professional, medical, institutional, or mixed-use applications.”
“Large windows throughout fill the interior with natural light, while the classic architecture and solid brick construction give the property a timeless presence,” it said.
The county publicly sought proposals from brokers, and the administration selected Jonathan J. Nelson because it offered the lowest commission price, the county said. Its proposal was 4% of the purchase price, with 2% of that commission going to the selling agent and 2% to the buyer’s agent, the county said.