Jason Addy

Data centers dominated discussion for more than three hours as Allentown City Council held a public hearing on proposed regulations before voting hours later to table them.

The applicant requested the meeting be postponed, according to city officials.

The first-term senator laid out his opposition to data centers and answered some of the “almost 100 questions” he said he received during a virtual town hall Wednesday night.

City Council last week approved Bill 20, closing a gap in Allentown's zoning code to set specific standards on data centers.

President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie visited Mack Trucks' plant in Lower Macungie Township on Tuesday.

The South Whitehall Township Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at Springhouse Middle School, where Edged Data Centers will again present its Project Atlas plans.

An executive is "no longer involved" with Project Atlas after residents publicized offensive text messages sent during last week's planning commission meeting, according to the data center's developer.

Quantm Group's data center at 2401 W. Emaus Ave. would bring fewer than two dozen employees per shift to a site the city has designated a major employment hub.

Fourteen people applied to fill progressive former Commissioner Jon Irons’ at-large seat until the end of next year, but the group whittled itself down by the time interviews started Wednesday evening.

The planning commission is set to meet Sept. 23 at Parkland High School to continue its review of the Project Atlas proposal.