Scranton City Council Caucus10-27-26

Scranton City Council held a caucus and public hearing on October 27, 2026, including File to Council No. 41, 2026, concerning the FY2027 capital budget and capital reserve spending plan. One speaker asked whether earlier amendments remained reflected and urged the city to verify that proposed spending was affordable and sustainable. No vote or capital-budget approval occurred during the excerpt, and no specific budget amount was stated. The council also discussed work by consultant Environmental Planning and Design on a proposed zoning-code amendment for data centers; the consultant’s fee was not identified.

The proposed amendment would create a mapped technology and energy overlay covering an estimated 5–7% of the city, with data centers requiring conditional-use approval rather than being allowed by right. The proposal distinguishes Type 1 facilities (up to 2 megawatts and 50,000 square feet) and Type 2 facilities (up to 250,000 square feet), and does not provide for hyperscale centers. Other proposed controls include noise limits, setbacks, impervious-surface and stormwater provisions, and decommissioning requirements. Council members raised concerns about the lack of interim updates and the compressed year-end schedule. They requested a draft by Friday for review; the draft was expected to be filed with the city by November 11. The pending ordinance may expire at year-end if the process is not completed, potentially requiring it to restart in January. No ordinance vote or contract award was recorded.