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Resident urges tighter limits on data centers as commission plans joint work session
Summary
During citizens time a resident urged the Planning Commission to restrict data centers on the county map, citing concern over precedent and water use; commissioners agreed to pursue additional review and to circulate possible July work‑session dates with the Board of Supervisors.
A resident who addressed the Wythe County Planning Commission during the citizens‑comment period on July 6 raised three concerns about the draft land‑use ordinance and how the county would treat data centers.
The speaker said data centers should be removed from commercial designations and instead restricted by special‑use rules or prohibited outright in certain zones, arguing that allowing them in more visible commercial areas would expose more residents to potential impacts and that permitting a data center in Progress Park (or similar industrial parks) could create a precedent for future approvals.
Commissioners and staff discussed how the draft ordinance treats permitted versus prohibited uses and whether to approach the rewrite from a permissive (what is allowed) or prohibitive (what is banned) framework. Planning staff said a significant rewrite would be required to flip the framework and offered to convene a work session to refine the language. The commission agreed that a joint work session with the Board of Supervisors could help consolidate review; staff proposed circulating July 20 and July 27 as candidate dates.
Concerns raised during the comment period included potential water impacts if a data center relies on well water, and how the zoning map would classify a specific eastern parcel currently shown as agricultural. Staff said the county is not far enough along in the approval process for any specific project to confirm water sources and noted that some proposed data‑center designs use closed‑loop cooling that minimizes water withdrawals for operations or fire protection.
The commission did not adopt new ordinance language at the meeting. Instead, members emphasized the need for clearer provisions addressing where data centers are allowed, potential prohibitions, and the public review process; staff will prepare for a work session and coordinate with the Board of Supervisors.
