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Wythe County planners hear resident concern over proposed data center, discuss zoning and water use
Summary
At its Jan. 5 meeting, the Wythe County Planning Commission heard from an ex‑officio representative who said county officials have received heavy public opposition to a proposed data center and urged the commission to gather community input as staff prepares a targeted Comprehensive Plan review.
The Wythe County Planning Commission on Jan. 5 heard growing public concern about a proposed data center and discussed whether zoning changes or community outreach are the appropriate next steps.
Ex‑officio representative Mr. Burnett told the commission that since news of the potential data center circulated he has received “more phone calls over this than I have in the last four years,” adding community reaction has skewed strongly negative: “for him it is one for it and probably a hundred against it.” He asked the Planning Commission to help gather public input before the Board of Supervisors pursues zoning changes.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the project raises land‑use, infrastructure and transparency questions — chiefly how industrial uses would draw on town water, power availability, and whether zoning changes would meet community expectations. The discussion matters because any zoning changes or development approvals would affect property values, county infrastructure and public trust.
County staff and officials described specific infrastructure concerns. Deputy County Administrator Matt Hankins said water for some industrial connections is flushed monthly to meet treatment standards and estimated that the flush volume is “about a million gallons.” Hankins said staff has seen preliminary property plans but no releasable engineering data yet; he recommended that staff perform an initial review of the Comprehensive Plan and return suggested updates to the commission for review.
Commissioners and staff also discussed the limits of county authority and public engagement. Mr. Burnett warned that while land in Progress Park is treated like industrial property—with confidentiality constraints for some companies—outlying county properties require clearer public disclosure, and he said he is not certain zoning alone will deliver the outcomes the community wants. Commissioner Christopher C. King and others asked for more technical data to inform any zoning deliberations.
On process, Hankins advised against placing zoning questions directly on a county ballot, saying many voters may lack the background to weigh complex land‑use tradeoffs: “if you put it on the ballot you are going to get a lot of people who haven’t studied it and don’t know the issues.” No formal zoning vote or referral was taken at the meeting.
What’s next: Staff will conduct an initial Comprehensive Plan review and highlight items that have changed since the last plan, including whether data centers should be addressed; the Board of Supervisors will finalize appointments (which affect commission membership) at its next meeting. The Planning Commission’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026.
