Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Data Centers And Public Concerns topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge caution on data centers; county says DHS document unverified
Summary
Multiple public commenters urged the Hanover Board to oppose large data-center development and possible detention-facility uses of local properties; county officials said a document alleging DHS interest was shared with a board member but that no federal contact or confirmation has been received.
Several residents used the public-comment period to press the Board of Supervisors to scrutinize proposed data-center projects and to oppose potential facility uses that commenters said would harm water resources, heritage sites and neighborhood character.
Bob Nelson, a longtime energy attorney from the Ashland District, warned that regional electric-grid capacity is strained and said data-center growth risks reliability. "The grid will provide is a dangerous and irresponsible mantra," Nelson said, arguing PJM and FERC orders show capacity shortfalls that should inform local permitting decisions.
Holly Makey and Patricia Hunter Jordan urged the board to deny plan and zoning changes for a proposed Hunting Hawk Technology Park at the Chickahominy River headwaters, citing potential threats to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, 24/7 noise and construction impacts. Makey asked the board to “protect the land” and cited a mailer that projected $8 million over 10 years as insufficient benefit.
Separately, Kristin Stevens reported a spreadsheet tied to a DHS data exposure that listed an Ashland property (11525 Lakeridge Parkway) as available for lease and alleged it was toured by a DHS agent; she said residents oppose locating an ICE processing or detention facility in Hanover. The chair responded later in the meeting that county staff had been provided a document alleging a DHS interest but that, as of that update, "no one from DHS or any Federal agency has contacted Hanover regarding the use of any facility in the county." County staff said they are attempting to verify the document’s accuracy and will share confirmed information with the public.
Other public commenters raised concerns about rising property assessments and asked whether tax revenue from data centers would lower real estate tax rates; county staff reiterated assessment appeal options and outlined the statutory budget-adoption timeline.
No formal zoning or permitting action on specific data-center applications occurred at the meeting; concerns were recorded in public comment and county staff said they will pursue verification of the DHS-related document before reporting back to the board.
