Allentown City Council Meeting – June 3, 2026

The Allentown City Council met on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting began with a tribute to the late City Controller Jeff Glazier, followed by public comments, contract approvals, committee reports, and a lengthy debate on Bill 20, which would add data center use regulations to the zoning code. Council voted to table Bill 20 until the next meeting on June 17, 2026, to allow the City Solicitor to conduct a Legal Service Review (LSR). Other legislation was also advanced.

Consent Calendar

• R68 – Authorization of cooperative contracts in amounts greater than $40,000 with Horwith Trucks, Inc., Environmental Systems Research Inst., Granicus LLC, and Lobar Associates Inc. Passed unanimously (7-0).
• R69 – Approval of a sewer planning module for 1008 S 6th Street (ANB Realty 16, LLC). Passed unanimously (7-0).
• R70 – Appointment of a Temporary Deputy Controller until an interim City Controller is appointed. Passed unanimously (7-0).
• Bill 45 – Final passage: Removes failure to register with the Selective Service System as a disqualifier for Civil Service exams for police and firefighters. Passed unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lester Wagner (resident, 2432 28th St SW): Expressed opposition to data center expansion, citing speculative rates, high energy and water use, lack of regulation, and that investors should bear full costs. He urged the council to consider cumulative impacts.
• Adam Bond: Argued that data center development imposes hidden infrastructure costs on ratepayers, referencing deferred maintenance and rising electricity demand. He warned that the public assumes risks while private investors profit.
• Nick Nicoloff (Allentown School Board member, policy professional): Advocated for passing Bill 20 and a municipal curative amendment, stating that the curative amendment would indicate ongoing inadequacy while Bill 20 provides immediate protections. He suggested that passing Bill 20 first could provide anecdotal support against the Emmaus Avenue project.
• Alicia Rothroth (Allentown resident): Read a statement from a neighbor (Priscilla) who could not attend, expressing deep concern about the proposed data center near her home, especially for her autistic child and other vulnerable neighbors. She urged the council to pass a municipal curative amendment to allow time for full review.
• Julie Vitale (721 West Green St): Criticized the city for inadequate public notice and urged a right-to-know ordinance. She noted the unprecedented turnout and called for accountability, saying the city should use existing ordinances to protect residents.
• Justin Joel Hernandez (21st St resident): First-time attendee, opposed rushing Bill 20, supported the six-month municipal curative amendment, and worried about rising utility bills.
• Mark Miller (board member, Camelot for Children): Asked the council to protect the children and families served by Camelot, a 40-year institution for children with medical complexities.
• Jenny Mariah Krislaki (representing Hood and Waterwatch): Clarified that passing Bill 20 would eliminate the ability to pass a municipal curative amendment, because the ordinance would no longer be invalid. She argued Bill 20 actually weakens protections by opening the IG district to data centers, and that a municipal curative amendment is straightforward and legally sound. She cited the city's own zoning ordinance (Section 660-113B) which she said mandates such an amendment.
• Travis Beller: Questioned the pending ordinance doctrine and expressed concern about the heat mitigation section of Bill 20, citing potential temperature increases of 3.5°F to 16°F up to 6.2 miles away. He called for stronger language.
• Lester Wagner (second appearance): Noted the site's proximity to a PPL substation built for WWII industry, calling it a mega-industrial complex. He asked about class-action options for community redress.
• Spencer Sayer: Recommended that controversial items not be voted on the same night as public input. He raised concerns about low-frequency sound (infrasound) and its health impacts, and suggested requiring escrow accounts for future remediation costs.
• Fred Marshall: Opposed Bill 20 as “lesser of two evils,” urged trusting the people, and advocated for voting it down to allow stronger action.
• Katie Onimus (South St, Allentown): Cited a recent zoning board decision in Upper Macungie that rejected a data center under a similar-use rationale, suggesting the city's current code may be sufficient. She expressed uncertainty but leaned toward the 180-day curative amendment.
• Aiden Le Penta (lifelong resident): Supported the municipal curative amendment, citing the city's own code and the ability to draft stronger regulations.

Discussion Items

• Tribute to Jeff Glazier: Council President Napoli, Vice President Mota, Councilmembers Affa, Binder, and Pungo shared memories of the late City Controller, praising his dedication, institutional knowledge, and service to the city.
• Committee Reports:
  • Special Committee meeting on June 10 at 6:30 PM for Bill 46 (Police DROP).
  • Community and Economic Development Committee meeting on June 17 at 5:30 PM to discuss vacant property registration and potential data center restrictions.
  • Human Resources Committee meeting on June 10 at 5:30 PM to review travel expenses, personnel manual, and introduced legislation.
  • Other committees reported meetings scheduled or not yet set.
• Bill 20 – Data Center Zoning: Extensive debate occurred. Councilmember Gerlach (CED Chair) raised concerns about the ordinance's strength and proposed a municipal curative amendment to gain 180 days for stronger language. She noted that 12+ Pennsylvania municipalities have used this approach. Administration (Frank Kane, Michael Handzo, Jennifer Gomez) argued that without Bill 20, the city is vulnerable to applications under the old code with no setbacks, and that a curative amendment may not halt all applications. Solicitor Maria Montero noted conflicting legal opinions, but stated that the pending ordinance doctrine protects from May 17 publication date. Councilmember Pungo suggested passing Bill 20 and then adding a curative amendment; Councilmember Mota moved to draft a letter to the Planning Commission regarding the Emmaus Avenue project, but the motion was withdrawn after the tabling motion. Councilmember Binder called for clarity via an LSR.

Key Outcomes

• Bill 20 was tabled until the June 17, 2026 City Council meeting, to allow the City Solicitor to complete a Legal Service Review (LSR) on the legal options, including the viability of a municipal curative amendment. Motion by Councilmember Gerlach, seconded by Councilmember Binder, passed unanimously (7-0).
• Bill 46 (Police Deferred Retirement Option Plan) was introduced and referred to a Special Committee meeting on June 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM.
• Bill 47 (PFAS remediation appropriation of $649,139.15 from AFFF class action awards) was introduced and referred to the Public Works Committee.
• Bill 48 (Trexler Fund appropriation of $322,955.50 for Parks and Recreation) was introduced and referred to the Parks and Recreation Committee.
• R70 (Temporary Deputy Controller) passed unanimously, filling the vacancy left by the late Controller.
• Council President announced that applications for the City Controller vacancy are being accepted via the city website.