Residents urge slow review and comprehensive‑plan amendment for proposed plant, citing rural character and water risks

Multiple residents told the Planning Commission the proposed plant would undermine Cumberland County’s rural character and that the community has not yet had a full, transparent conversation about the project.

Katie Hoffman told commissioners the county’s 2023 comprehensive plan calls for agricultural and rural residential uses at the site and that industrial proposals should be considered through a comprehensive plan amendment: “Right out the gate, this plant seems completely out of whack with the comprehensive plan.” She also urged staff and the commission to slow the review and allow the public time to understand cultural, financial, environmental and health impacts, noting a November 2026 water‑reservation deadline raised in public comment.

Luke Fleischman, a neighbor who said he attended prior Dominion hearings, warned about potential noise impacts and recounted a decibel reading taken inside a nearby meeting: “Somebody pulled up their phone and that was 62 decibels.” Diane Myers and Stephanie Oso expressed frustration about perceived lack of transparency and asked the commission to consider how industrial projects have been concentrated in District 1. Other commenters asked for clearer public access to zoning maps and explained that residents want process clarity before the county considers a large industrial use.

The record at the meeting shows divided community sentiment: speakers ranged from clear support for jobs and tax base to explicit requests to pause and require a formal comprehensive‑plan amendment before proceeding. The pending public hearing will be the formal venue to receive evidence for and against the application.