Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge quick implementation of data‑center ordinances to protect neighborhoods
Summary
A community leader asked the board to adopt planning commission–amended ordinances for data centers promptly, arguing delays risk irreversible tree loss and damage to neighborhood character; supervisors said staff will follow up and hold informational sessions.
Maria Durso, president of the Lees Crossing Community Association, urged the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 9 to move quickly to implement planning commission–amended ordinances governing data centers.
Durso said she supports data‑center economic benefits but called for reasonable mitigation measures to protect woods, dark nights and neighborhood character. “The additional revenue we hope to gain from data centers should not come at the expense of other fundamental quality‑of‑life issues,” she said, and asked the board to approve the amended ordinances as soon as possible because delay would allow development to proceed under less protective standards.
Board follow‑up: Supervisors acknowledged the Planning Commission’s work and asked staff to provide updates on red‑line versions of the standards and to brief the board at a future meeting on power generation and permitted uses. Supervisor Hayes and Supervisor Ekabowski planned a public informational session at Cedar Forest the next evening to share updated maps and materials with residents.
Why it matters: Data centers can generate substantial tax revenue but also bring infrastructure and environmental impacts (trees, light/noise, power generation) that residents said should be mitigated through ordinance standards. The board did not adopt new ordinances at this meeting; staff follow‑up and public outreach were requested.
