Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge Wythe County supervisors to adopt zoning, demand transparency on proposed data centers
Summary
Dozens of residents used Citizens’ Time to press the Wythe County Board of Supervisors for countywide zoning, transparency about FluidStack and other data-center proposals, and answers about water, noise and jobs tied to proposed projects.
Dozens of residents told the Wythe County Board of Supervisors on July 28 that they oppose additional data centers outside Progress Park and want countywide zoning and more transparency from developers.
"Neither the land nor the people of Wythe County consent to this effort to squander our land and water," resident Brandy Cline said during Citizens’ Time, reading a poem and urging officials to adopt a land-use resolution to protect farms and water. "We don't consent to another data center." She urged officials to stop projects pursued behind closed doors.
Other speakers echoed that theme. Maranda Edwards asked the board to publish the facts she said the community has requested, including where FluidStack's facilities operate and how many local jobs will be created. "One data center is one too many in our county," Edwards said, and she told the board she supports zoning to give residents a say.
Several speakers raised specific resource concerns. Catherine Clemons noted FluidStack's claim of "2,800 gallons of water a day with a closed-loop water system" and warned that future projects might not match that figure. Susan Branscome and others cited farmland loss and dropped river levels and urged water to be a priority for any land-use decision.
Some comments stressed process and trust: Robert Walton, a recently retired technology professional, said he is "not anti-data center," but criticized the county's handling of negotiations under nondisclosure and called for a ban on NDAs for public officials handling such deals. Residents asked the board to allow site visits to existing data centers so officials can judge noise and community impacts.
Board members responded that they hear concerns and that several supervisors said they favor limiting data centers outside Progress Park. Vice Chair J.W. "Dicky" Morgan and Supervisor Stacy A. Terry both said they want to "get zoning right," while Chair James D. "Jamie" Smith clarified that a nondisclosure agreement referenced by residents had been signed by the JIDA executive director, not by the board.
The comments set the tone for detailed follow-up: county staff are updating the public Q&A on the county website and plan further community meetings on a draft zoning ordinance. Residents and the board agreed on increased outreach before finalizing land-use rules.
