Data Centers: What is the cost?
Data Centers seem to be the latest thing being touted in the universe of economic development. But are they categorically wonderful? What are the pros and cons with respect to economics, environment, infrastructure? What does a locality gain and what does it lose?
Join this free Zoom webinar Tuesday, November 14, 7-9 p.m. for information and education on data centers.
Register HERE.
Public hearing Thursday, November 16: Tract Data Technology Park
It’s been 60 days since Hanover citizens were introduced in a community meeting to the data technology park proposed by developer Tract. The site is a 1200-acre parcel north of Ashland to the east of I-95.
The timeline felt expedited then and it still does.
Three applications have been filed by Blenheim Associates, LP, et al, for the parcel currently zoned A-1, Agricultural in the Beaverdam District:
- rezoning (REZ2023-00035)
- conditional use permit (CUP2023-00014)
- special exception (SE2023-00023)
In the community meeting, citizens, many of whom would be neighbors to the data park, had questions and concerns.
Some of those included:
- traffic capacity on rural roads, i.e. Hickory Hill Road
- additional traffic due to proximity of SanMar and other warehouse/distribution facilities
- insistence on more robust vegetative buffers
- noise emission
- light pollution
- fire hazards of battery storage
- devaluation of property values
- topography of wetlands and steep slopes
- infrastructure readiness: electricity, water, sewer, wastewater, etc.
With the short time between the community meeting and Planning Commission hearing, the development appears to be on a fast track to approval. Citizens have barely had time to digest this massive helping of land use change.
And finally: shouldn’t the County have policy guidelines and ordinances in place before development juggernauts such as solar facilities and data centers roll into the County? Why must citizens and their County scramble to deal with applications while trying to frame proffers and guidelines on such aspects as setbacks, buffers, roads and infrastructure?
Other cases of note on the PC’s heavy agenda include two solar facilities and a multi-family residential development:
- CUP2022-00011, Chaberton Solar Leartherman, LLC, is a proposed principal small-scale facility of 40 acres in the Cold Harbor District.
- CUP2022-00020, Spring Run Solar, LLC, is a proposed principal small-scale solar facility on 169 acres (59.35 acres in the CUP area) located in the Henry District.
- REZ2023-00022, Charleston Ridge 2, LLC, seeks a rezoning from A-1, agricultural to allow 162 apartments on a 39-acre parcel in the Chickahominy District. Concerns: more traffic at the freighted Sliding Hill exit on I-95 and growth of the school population. A Special Exception was filed September 27 for a modular classroom building at Cool Spring Elementary School (SE2023-00024).
Hanover County Planning Commission meets in the County Administration Boardroom Thursday, November 16, 6:00 p.m.
Be in contact with your Planning Commissioners and Supervisors. Let them hear your concerns about changes coming to your neighborhood.
The citizen voice matters. Thank you for your voice.
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