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County issues stop‑work notice after DEQ finds excavation near Progress Park wetlands
Summary
Wythe County staff told the planning commission that DEQ inspected earthwork at the Progress Park data‑center site and raised concerns about disturbed areas near a mitigated wetland; the county issued a stop‑work/notice and required additional erosion controls while staff reviews site plans.
Wythe County engineers reported April 6 that state environmental regulators inspected an active construction area at the Progress Park data‑center site and raised concerns about excavation and disturbed ground adjacent to a mitigated wetland that drains to Reed Creek. The county issued a notice and a stop‑work order and told the contractor to install protective measures.
County staff said DEQ observed equipment and recent clearing near the protected zone and that, although stumps were left in place, exposed ground risks silt running into the wetland during heavy rain. "We sent out a notice of violation/stop work order to Branch," the county engineer said; the contractor subsequently installed roughly 1,400 feet of silt fence and hydroseeded much of the cleared area, staff reported.
Engineers told commissioners they are reviewing submitted erosion‑control and mass‑grading plans — the county has received sediment‑control and grading plans but not final building plans. Staff asked for stricter on‑site controls than DEQ required on the initial review: additional forebays or baffles in sediment ponds, gabion (rock) baskets wrapped in silt fence, and other measures to reduce the volume of silt reaching the wetland.
Commissioners and staff discussed longer‑term design options to limit runoff, including permeable paving for parking areas and increased forebay capacity. The county engineer said forebays and typical sediment ponds capture a portion of sediment but stressed that the wetland is downstream of the site and that any siltation could affect Reed Creek. "We're going to require them" to implement stronger sediment controls, the engineer said.
Staff said the developer has not cleared building plans through DEQ on the first pass and that review remains ongoing. The county will continue to monitor the site and enforce erosion‑control conditions while plans are finalized.
The planning commission heard the report as part of the county engineer's update; no formal land‑use action was taken at the meeting.
