Bridgewater Council Removes Data Centers From Route 22 Redevelopment Plan

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater Township Council voted to amend the Greymark Office Tract Redevelopment Plan, removing data centers as a permitted use at the site.

The vote at the Nov. 5 Bridgewater Council meeting came after a public hearing on Ordinance 2621.

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The ordinance states that Bridgewater adopted the Greymark Office Tract Redevelopment Plan on April 24, 2025.

It also says the township has since become familiar with what it calls the "deleterious effects posed by data centers," including "high electricity and water consumption that can result in electric grid overload and outages, increased consumer energy prices, and water depletion; heat generation, interference with cellular and wireless communications; and disturbing, disruptive, ambient noise."

Under the amendment, data centers are removed as a permitted use and designated as a specifically prohibited use in the redevelopment plan.

Public comment included support for the amendment.

Curtis Kraut told the council, "I fully support that amended ordinance removing data centers and I think the council should approve that as soon as possible."

He also raised questions about the redevelopment process.

Councilman Timothy Ring responded that if a developer wanted to do something outside the redevelopment plan, it would have to come back to the governing body, go through master plan consistency review, include public hearings, and later return to the planning board with a land use application.

Ed Caldwell, a Martinsville resident, also urged adoption and thanked the council for its bipartisan work.

"In today's political climate where partisan gridlock usually prevents any kind of real progress, what followed was a refreshing example of how local government should work. There was a genuine give and take on this topic, said Caldwell.

After public comment closed, the council unanimously voted yes on final action.

This amended ordinance also got the backing of the Bridgewater Township Planning Board 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 ordinance will officially change our zoning rules to permanently block AI data centers," stated Councilwoman Ridwana Isla in a release following the meeting. "Our residents worked really closely with the boards to protect our neighborhoods."

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