BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The Bridgewater Township Planning Board is backing the Council's ordinance to remove data centers from the Greymark Office Tract Redevelopment Plan for 1200 Route 22.
At a special Oct. 27 meeting, Bridgewater's Planning Board adopted a master plan re-examination report that recommends changing the Greymark redevelopment plan to remove data centers as a principal permitted use.
The board also found Township Council's related ordinance, 26-21, not inconsistent with the township master plan.
The Township Council had introduced the ordinance at its Oct. 15 meeting.
During the special meeting, the board heard testimony that the re-examination was narrowly focused on data centers because policy assumptions had changed since the 2025 master plan review.
Township Planner Katherine Sarmad said those changes included statewide policy announced by the governor, a statewide comprehensive plan on data centers and a July law related to electricity use, water usage and Board of Public Utilities regulation of data centers.
Sarmad also pointed to Bridgewater ordinance 26-15, adopted last month, which set requirements for data centers in the township. Read More: New Data Center Regulations Approved In Bridgewater Amid Resident Concerns
In testimony, Sarmad said data centers are not permitted in the township's general zones but were permitted in the Greymark redevelopment area under a 2025 plan.
The report's main recommendation was to amend that redevelopment plan, remove data centers as a principal permitted use and modify related references on concept plans.
"The only recommendation of this master plan re-exam is to make the modification to the greymark redevelopment plan which has been adopted," Sarmad told the board.
Sarmad later said the recommendation was "to take that as a permitted use out of the redevelopment plan because of those recognized impacts until there is a better understanding of how it can be managed."
Board members raised questions about power demand, generators, noise and long-term community planning.
A board member also raised concerns about school enrollment trends and whether future planning should consider demographic changes.
After closing the public portion, the board voted to adopt the re-examination report. It then reviewed ordinance 26-21, which was introduced by the Township Council on Oct. 16.
The board voted to transmit its finding to the governing body that the ordinance is not inconsistent with the township master plan.
The ordinance is scheduled for adoption at the Nov. 5 council meeting at 7 p.m. in the courtroom.
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