Planning commission recommends Mountain Road data center rezoning after long hearing; water, noise and traffic remain flashpoints

After a nearly four‑hour presentation and more than three hours of public comment, the Hanover County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the rezoning request for the proposed Mountain Road Technology Park, a master‑planned data center campus along U.S. Route 33.

Planner Andrew Pompey told the commission the proposal would rezone more than 427 acres in the South Anna District from A‑1 agricultural to M‑1 limited industrial, subject to 17 proffers. Pompey summarized changes since February: increases to several riparian and road buffers, construction‑traffic mitigation, restrictions on generator testing hours, and a proffered cash contribution totaling $15,000,000 toward a booster pump station and water storage to support the county’s water system. “The applicant has proffered phase payments that total $15,000,000 that’ll be paid to Hanover County at certain stages of development,” Pompey said (staff presentation).

Erin Fosdick, director of entitlements for TRACT, emphasized the applicant’s voluntary concessions, including larger buffers, sound‑attenuation enclosures for generators and a commitment that data center buildings would be tested within 30 days of readiness and not allowed to operate if they exceed the county noise limits. “We are committed to making sure this project is as minimally impactful on the county as possible,” Fosdick said during her presentation.

Residents and experts tested those assurances at the public hearing. Opponents raised a long list of concerns: average and peak water use (applicant’s modeling estimates 600,000 gallons per day on average and up to 2,000,000 gallons on a peak day), potential low‑frequency noise from generators and chillers, visual impacts, and long‑term effects on farmland and wildlife habitat. “This project will directly impact my neighborhood,” said Pamela Clifton, who lives within two miles of the site, citing diesel emissions and persistent noise as public‑health concerns (public comment).

Supporters framed the proposal as an economic opportunity. Union and construction representatives said the project would create hundreds of short‑term construction jobs and a modest number of permanent technical positions. Darren Williams, who has built data centers, said the development would bring long‑term local employment and training opportunities.

Commissioners pressed staff, the applicant and utility representatives on specifics. County Public Utilities staff confirmed there is available capacity in the Elmont pressure zone today but said build‑out could use a large share of that capacity without the proposed storage tank and pump station. Dominion Energy staff said construction and energization of substations are still in a queue process, and that transmission costs are allocated across Dominion’s transmission zone.

After debate, the planning commission recorded motions that recommended approval of the rezoning and the associated conditional use permit with amendments tying several provisions and additional study requirements to the Board of Supervisors review. The CUP vote was recorded with one commissioner voting no; the commission forwarded its recommendation and the proffer package to the Board.

What’s next: The Board of Supervisors will receive the commission’s recommendation and take the final decision at a future meeting. The most recent materials, including the applicant’s proffers and revised conceptual plan, are available on the county’s eTrack portal.