Photo: halbergman / E+ / Getty Images
A vote on a proposed data center in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, was postponed Wednesday (August 5) after an overwhelming turnout created a fire hazard. More than 150 people attended the meeting to discuss the PAX-1 data center project, which led township officials to reschedule the vote for August 19 at a larger venue.
The PAX-1 project, which plans to construct three data center campuses on 700 acres of former farmland along Country Club Road, has been a point of contention among residents. The project includes six commercial warehouse-sized buildings filled with advanced computing equipment. Blasting and grading have already begun, and a new water main has been installed at the site.
Supervisor Phil Neiderer, along with Board Chair Don Geistwhite, voted to adjourn the meeting, citing the need for a larger space to accommodate the crowd. Neiderer explained that the board had until August 23 to make a decision, allowing time to advertise and schedule the special meeting. He noted that the developers were agreeable to the extension.
Residents opposing the project welcomed the delay, expressing concerns over transparency and communication regarding the project timeline. Jody Shivell, a local resident, voiced relief that the meeting was postponed, allowing more community members to participate. Andrew Dymski, another resident, criticized the confusion over the action deadline, calling for clearer communication from township officials.
The PAX-1 project is part of a new wave of hyperscale data centers in Pennsylvania, driven by the demand for facilities to support artificial intelligence applications and data storage. The project's end user remains undisclosed, but developers have hinted at a major tech company as the potential occupant.
For more details, visit the original sources: [PennLive](https://www.pennlive.com/news/2026/08/overflow-crowd-forces-delay-in-big-pa-data-center-vote.html), [Local21News](https://local21news.com/news/local/middlesex-township-postpones-data-center-vote-amid-after-meeting-surpasses-capacity-sunshine-act-board-supervisors-fire-hazard-pax1-cumberland-county-powerhouse-data-centers-conodoguinet-creek-pa-pennsylvania), and [ABC27](https://www.abc27.com/local-news/data-center-up-for-approval-in-middlesex-twp-faces-community-backlash/).