Goochland officials delay action as residents press changes to Technology Overlay District

The Goochland County Board of Supervisors received extended public comment on proposed rules for the county esignated Technology Overlay District and took no action, with staff announcing a delay of the planning commission review to September to allow more public outreach. Dr. Raley, a county staff member, told the audience that "there will be no action this evening on the Technology Overlay District" and that the county would schedule additional community meetings and a later planning commission hearing.

Residents said the draft overlay as written would allow large, industrial data centers next to existing neighborhoods and urged major changes. "Eliminate by right approvals," Cynthia Haas told the board, listing Henrico, Loudoun, Prince William, Powhatan, Louisa, New Kent, Charles City and James City as counties that do not allow by-right data center development. Haas asked the board to reduce permitted noise levels from the proposal's 65 decibels to 55, to ban diesel generators in favor of natural gas or solar and to shrink the maximum permitted building height from 12 stories to a maximum of four stories or 40 feet.

Other speakers raised similar concerns about constant operational noise, generator testing, air and water impacts, and placement near homes. Steve Shorrock asked where noise would be measured and whether decibel limits would apply to clusters of facilities. Dr. Bruce Silverman, who identified himself as a medical director, cited a 2024 JLARC study and said generator testing and diesel emissions can degrade local air quality and may pose health risks for people with respiratory conditions. Several commenters asked for a larger buffer between industrial parcels and residential lots; Haas suggested 1,000 feet or that no data center be sited on a lot that directly abuts a residential parcel. Lawrence Frank and others described West Creek as now a mixed-use corridor—residential, employment and recreation—and said data centers are an incompatible land use.

County staff described outreach plans and an online "one-stop" page with FAQs and notices of future meetings. Dr. Raley said staff had recommended postponing the planning commission hearing previously scheduled for August and that the commission would meet in September; he said staff would hold additional community meetings in August and September and widely publicize them. Several supervisors acknowledged constituents' concerns and said the delay would allow more time for analysis and public input.

There was no motion or vote on the overlay district at the meeting. The public comment period and staff remarks were the substantive actions taken on the issue at this session; the board reserved any formal consideration of ordinance language for later hearings.