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Residents press Calvert County commissioners for pause as Lusby data center plans draw heavy criticism
Summary
Residents and local candidates urged the Board of County Commissioners to pause approvals and study potential impacts of proposed data centers near the Constellation property in Lusby, citing noise, water use, wetlands, traffic and process transparency. A motion to explore a one‑year moratorium was denied.
Residents from Lusby and nearby neighborhoods packed public comment Tuesday to press the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners for a pause and fuller review of proposed data center projects near the Constellation property in southern Calvert County.
Speakers described a campaign of what they called inadequate notice and limited public engagement by the property owner and prospective developers. Dottie Stukler, a candidate for commissioner at-large, said a map distributed at an Amazon open house showed private homes and a county-owned ball field within the footprint of a proposed complex, and asked the board to impose a 12‑month moratorium to allow independent studies and public hearings.
Why it matters: Data centers require large electric and sometimes water infrastructure and can change traffic patterns and land use in rural areas. Residents said they fear cumulative effects on wetlands, noise levels near homes and youth sports fields, long-term strain on county services, and a rezoning process they said lacked direct neighbor notice.
What residents said: Patrick Flaherty told commissioners that families near the Cove Point LNG facility already suffer “constant industrial noise” and urged the county to create a proactive noise‑monitoring program rather than react to complaints. Carlo Wine of Camp Conoy residents said Constellation used a comprehensive rezoning approach that kept neighbors from direct notice and argued that the company later limited direct engagement.
County response and board action: Commissioners and staff acknowledged the magnitude of the concerns and the complexity of potential regulatory responses. Some commissioners said they had been briefed in prior months that Constellation has been exploring data‑center partnerships; others said the county has not entered incentive deals. Several asked staff for more technical briefings from the county’s financial and legal advisors and for a clear sequence of what approvals would be required.
A procedural motion and vote: Commissioner Mike Hart moved to place an item on the next board agenda to explore at least a one‑year moratorium on data‑center approvals and to examine whether prior rezoning followed the same public‑notice process the county uses for other projects. The motion was seconded but failed on a voice vote.
What happens next: Staff told the board that site plans and conceptual plans will be reviewed through the Planning & Zoning process and that any ordinance changes (for example, stricter noise or setback limits or a formal requirement that applicants reach an agreement with the county before permits are issued) would require a public hearing and follow the county’s established rule‑making process. Commissioners asked staff to lay out options — including technical studies, community advisory processes and regulatory changes — for future agenda consideration.
The bottom line: Residents won’t get an immediate moratorium; commissioners denied a motion to explore one year of pause but directed staff to return with clearer information about procedural options and technical analyses for noise, water, traffic and other impacts. The board recessed into executive session at the end of the meeting to consider personnel, legal and business‑attraction matters.
