The meeting began at 7 p.m. and was scheduled to run until 10 p.m., but it concluded much earlier when questions surfaced about whether the applicant had the legal standing to proceed.
"It was a little bit unexpected. We were anticipating this would be a normal zoning hearing," said Dave Sander, solicitor for the Plymouth Township zoning area.
Less than an hour into the meeting, one of the parties raised an issue that halted the process.
Sander said it "came to light from one of the parties that the applicant did not have legal standing to proceed with the application. It turned out that the agreement of sale that the applicant was signing with the owner of the property was not finalized; therefore, the applicant does not have legal standing."
The developer had been seeking approval to build a data center on a two-million-square-foot site along the Schuylkill River, replacing the Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill that closed this summer at 900 Conshohocken Road.
Some residents and advocacy groups expressed frustration that the issue was not addressed sooner.
"The reality is the applicant had the opportunity to submit their paperwork and address this issue much earlier on," said Maya van Rossum of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. "They chose to wait till the last minute when everybody was in the room, and had taken the time to come out this evening."
The developer has argued the project would attract business and create jobs at a time when data centers are being built nationwide to meet rising energy demand driven by artificial intelligence. But several residents raised concerns about the unknown impact on the local energy grid and quality of life.
"We don't actually know the expected impact to the community energy grid is going to be. That's a huge question. We're already feeling the impacts of increased energy prices," said Patti Smith. "There's a large concern about the noise - like noise pollution - so the hum of the server."
Although the application was withdrawn, the process may not be over. Township officials expect the developer to refile, which would restart the hearing process.
"After the hearing closes, the board has 45 days to render a written decision," Sander said.
Township officials said that if the applicant chooses to refile, the matter will not be revisited until at least the new year. Parties involved will also have an opportunity to appeal the decision once it is issued.