CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. – Update:
On Tuesday, the Campbell County board of Supervisors voted down a proposal to rezone more than 57 acres of land for a data center. Virginia has more data centers than anywhere else in the world, but not everyone was on board with the latest Campbell County proposal.
“This is not the right place,” said Campbell County resident, Henry McClanahan. “There’s going to be noise from a big generator. The overuse of a lot of water.”
McClanahan, who lives just down the road from the proposed project, attended the meeting because he wanted to make sure the board knew exactly how he felt about it. Before the meeting, 10 News took McClanahan’s concerns to Supervisor, Matt Cline, who represents the Concord district, near the proposed site.
“I’ve spoken to hundreds and hundreds of my constituents,” Cline told 10 News. “People who trust me to protect their property, and that’s what I’m here to do.”
Supervisors revisited a rezoning request from the company MESH Capital to build three large data centers, each about 150,000 square feet, near Route 460 and Cabin Field Road.
County leaders considered whether to lift a proffer requiring the developer to follow a specific site plan, how three new data centers could affect nearby homes and traffic, and what the project could mean for the county’s power grid and water supply — since some data centers can use more than a million gallons of water a day.
During the meeting, two petitions opposing the data center project totaled 660 signatures, according to Cline.
Cline said he understands residents’ frustration and environmental concerns and ultimately, voted against the project. The rezoning request failed in a 5-2 decision, despite the Planning Commission recommending approval of the proposal in September.
Supervisors, Tom Lawton and Paul Dowdy, voted in favor of the project. Cline says he also heard from some residents who believed the project could bring needed infrastructure improvements, such as extended water lines and said he’s not generally opposed to data centers.
“I’m more or less anti–data center at this site, Cline said. “This site is not conducive to putting a data center. The topography is terrible; it’s going to take a ton of site work to get it graded to put three 150,000 square foot buildings on. The proffer that was put on it 25 years ago was for a reason and those reasons still exits.”
Still, some residents remain concerned about future data center proposals that do not require a rezoning approval from the board.
“Campbell County actually gave up the special permit use last year, so data centers can built by right and I think that’s an issue that needs to be addressed,” lifelong Campbell County resident Sandy Glass said. “Right now, the board has no oversight or authority over data centers, and that effectively silences the public’s opinion.”
During the meeting, Supervisor Jon Hardie, proposed the board address this same concern as part of the upcoming county code amendment process, but his motion was denied.
“I think our community has spoken volumes,” Hardie said during the meeting. “It’s not just about proffers, it’s about the things we need to keep out of our community to make our community a better place.”
“I feel great about it. I think what Matt did was right,” resident Russell Nixon said about Tuesday’s vote. “But it could be a very good money-making property once that data center is built, and I think this board is going to have a tough time trying to decide how they’re going to handle them in the future.”
Original:
More data centers are being built in Virginia than anywhere else in the world, but not everyone supports the latest proposal in Campbell County.
Tonight, supervisors will decide whether to rezone more than 57 acres near Route 460 and Cabin Field Road to make way for three new data centers. The board first held a public hearing last month but postponed the decision to tonight at 6 p.m. at the county administration building.
Some residents say the project could bring traffic, pollution, and strain local utilities and the water supply. Others argue it could mean better infrastructure, including improved water lines.
The proposal, from MESH Capital LLC, would remove previous restrictions on how the land near Route 460 and Cabin Field Road can be developed.
The Planning Commission has already recommended approval, but the final decision lies with the county’s Board of Supervisors.
10 News will be at the meeting and have more updates on this story tonight at 11 p.m.