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A warehouse developer’s proposal to trade land with the state in Limerick Township and beyond has blindsided local officials — and ignited fierce opposition from residents who fear the deal could clear the path for a data center.

The state would gain 559 acres across three counties, including what would become Delaware County’s first state game lands, according to the proposal on file with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

In return, the developer, Limerick Town Center LLC, would secure a 55-acre property in Limerick. That land adjoins an industrial tract the developer already owns, which was formerly the site of the Publicker distillery.

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Residents flooded an hourslong Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night to oppose the land swap, prompting officials to open a second room for the overflow.

“I’m against the swap,” resident Jeff Schmidt told the board. “It’s a terrible idea, and I need to stop now because a lot of bad words want to come out of my mouth.”

Connie Lawson, board chair, said that ultimately the state controls the land involved in the swap, not the township.

Township manager Daniel Kerr told the crowd that the township had little information and had just learned of the proposal last week. But, he said, plans for land involved in the swap would have to go through the township for zoning and planning.

After hours of listening to residents, the board voted to send a “strongly worded” letter of opposition to the Game Commission.

Although the developer has not proposed building a data center, the idea has been widely circulated on social media, including in posts by state Sen. Katie Muth. She urged residents who oppose the swap to attend the township meeting Tuesday, as well as a state Game Commission meeting on Saturday.

Data centers, which house servers used for artificial intelligence, have become a hot topic in recent months, as residents in multiple towns have voiced concerns over their use of land, energy, and water. Meanwhile, political and labor leaders have embraced them as job creators.

A data center was recently proposed for placement between the Philadelphia Premium Outlets and a nuclear power plant in Limerick, and another was proposed last year in neighboring East Vincent Township at the former Pennhurst State School and Hospital.

Those two locations are within two miles of the land Limerick Town Center would acquire in the swap.

“If this swap goes through, we are one step closer to turning our communities into Data Center Alley 2.0,” Muth wrote on Facebook last week. “This land is publicly owned wildlife habitat and forest. It should not be traded away so Big Tech and AI corporations can maximize profits at the expense of our environment and quality of life.”

What’s involved with the land swap?

Limerick Town Center LLC is already proposing to build two warehouses totaling 1.9 million square feet in Limerick’s Linfield section. That would be off Main Street and Longview Road, not far from Constellation Energy’s Limerick Clean Energy Center, a nuclear power plant.

The proposed swap would give Limerick Town Center LLC state-owned land and a 200-foot right-of-way adjoining the warehouse site, in exchange for the company giving the state property in Limerick and other counties.

Overall, the company would give the state a total of 614 acres in return for a 55-acre chunk of Game Land 234.

Included in the 614 acres is a 60-acre parcel it already owns in Limerick that adjoins the southern portion of Game Land 234 near the river.

The company would also give 377 acres in Bern Township, Berks County, to be managed by the state.

And the company would give the state 177 acres in Edgmont Township that would become the first state game land in Delaware County.

Local concerns

At Tuesday night’s meeting, resident after resident opposed the plan, citing overdevelopment, traffic, a change in the character of the community, and an impact on wildlife and the environment. Only one man from Berks County, who said he was a hunter, supported the swap.

Limerick resident Jennifer Wynne told the board she opposes the swap, saying the public hasn’t been given enough information that it would provide “a clear public benefit.”

“I am also concerned that this transfer may function as a precursor to future high-intensity or industrial development,” she said.

Michael Poust said he moved to Limerick to escape overdevelopment, and he opposes the land swap.

“My land is surrounded by the state game lands,” he said. “I bought it there for a reason.”

Muth, the state senator, lives in neighboring East Vincent and has been part of the fight against a data center proposed for Pennhurst.

“I highly recommend that you review the path forward to change the zoning in that area,” Muth told the board.

Edgmont’s response

Meanwhile, Edgmont Township, Delaware County, could gain new state game land near, but not connected to, Ridley Creek State Park.

Pennsylvania Game Lands, supported by hunting and trapping fees, are widely used for hunting, hiking, fishing, and birdwatching.

Ken Kynett, Edgmont Township’s manager, said officials only learned of a land swap on Jan. 16.

“We got an email from the game commission last week saying we’re interested in acquiring property in your township,” Kynett said. “It was as much a surprise to us as anyone else.”

Under the land-swap proposal, Limerick Town Center LLC would give the state a 177-acre portion of the old Sleighton Farm School grounds.

The school, originally set on 300 acres and run by Quakers, was founded to serve “troubled children.” In 1931, it split into two separate schools: the Glen Mills School for boys and the Sleighton Farm School for girls. Eventually, the school became coed and was called simply Sleighton School.

The school closed in 2001 because of financial difficulties, and the grounds were sold. Elywn, a large nonprofit, owns the land.

Kynett said he assumed Limerick Town Center LLC is working with Elwyn on the deal. Part of the land is zoned for agriculture, and part is zoned residential.

He said that keeping the land as open space could be a positive, but the township doesn’t have enough information to know whether to support or oppose the swap.

“We haven’t really had a chance to discuss it with the board,” Kynett said.

Who’s behind Limerick Town Center LLC?

Limerick Town Center LLC has an address in Madison, Conn., according to Montgomery County land records. The address is linked to a company registered by Christine Pasieka, who is a business partner and the wife of Chris Rahn. The two have made development deals throughout the Philadelphia area for years.

Pasieka could not be reached immediately for comment on Wednesday.

Property records show that Limerick Town Center LLC purchased the 197-acre parcel in 2022 for $17 million.

In 2023, the company applied to build on the Publicker tract, according to county records. The registered agent for Limerick Town Center LLC was Sandra DiNardo, whose family owns a large trucking and cement business.

DiNardo could not be reached immediately for comment.