GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. — Four Goochland County residents are suing their county government over a newly created Technology Overlay District (TOD) that allows data centers to be built near neighborhoods.
Cynthia Haas is one of the neighbors who filed the lawsuit in December 2025, requesting that the court void the TOD in the West Creek area in eastern Goochland near Short Pump.
They allege the county violated Virginia state law when passing the legislation that allowed for the TOD.
"[Our lawyer] said they violated Virginia state law and the plaintiffs and myself said, 'You know what? Our Board of Supervisors isn't going to be allowed to do that. They have to follow Virginia state law," Haas said.
Haas lives in a community located right next to where data centers can now be built.
She never imagined she would end up filing a lawsuit against the county where she and her husband intend to spend their golden years.
"I'm looking at the possibility of having a data center out my back door," Haas said. "I want to enjoy being with my husband after 42 years of marriage. There are things we wanted to do. This was never in a bucket list item."
Haas believes data centers in Goochland are inevitable and supports economic growth, but she wants the county to ensure more protections for residents and keep the facilities farther away from her property.
"I think the setback, the distance from a data center, needs to be far greater than what it currently is in the TOD. I think the noise levels need to be much, much lower," Haas said. "That tells you how insane the whole thing is, doesn't it? It tells you that this TOD was done so badly and it's angered so many residents that there are people up in arms."
CBS 6's Melissa Hipolit took her concerns to Goochland County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley. He says the county wants to attract commercial revenue.
"[That] allows us to diversify our tax base and allows us to accomplish the goals and initiatives and provide the services to our community that they need. While at the same time, not requiring us to raise tax rates and balance our budgets on the backs of our residents," Raley said.
Hipolit asked Raley if he feels Goochland County put in proper protections for residents when it comes to data centers.
"One of the many elements of the TOD is, in fact, greater protections for residents. For example, prior to the TOD in the West Creek, which abuts Readers Branch, there could have been a data center 50 feet from the property line of adjoining residents. Nobody wants that. And so as we work through the process, we work to increase the buffers, setbacks, reduce decibel levels, so that we could provide greater protections for our residents," Raley said.
She also asked him if the county stood by its process for enacting the TOD.
"We feel in confidence that we've done work in accordance with the law, and we'll have that determined by a judge here in the future," Raley said.
The county hired outside counsel, and those lawyers say the suit should be dismissed.
"We were really thoughtful about creating the right balance in creating development standards that would protect the best interest of our residents, but yet, at the same time, not be so cumbersome that businesses would not want to come here," Raley said.
Haas says the residents are not backing down.
"We've got a David and Goliath situation going on. Goliath is the county. They now have $350,000 to fight the lawsuit. Little David here is doing everything based on donations. So we're in this situation of having a whole lot of money here and us having to raise donations," Haas said.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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