HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — The Hanover County Planning Commission voted to defer a decision on a proposed data center project Thursday night, extending the debate over development that has divided residents for months.
Just weeks after county officials voted against bringing a Hunting Hawk data center to the area, developer Tract made their case for a new 427-acre project along Route 33 and Mountain Road near the Hanover-Henrico line.
"We've been working on this plan for over a year," a company representative said. "That was an initial reason we were drawn to this site, it being an employment center."
The proposed project would include five buildings and about 172 acres of natural area and buffers, including a trail. Water usage once built would be about 600,000 gallons per day, which developers said is less than the former Tysons facility.
Construction would bring about 1,000 jobs, and once complete in 2035, the project is projected to create about $900 million in tax revenue for the county over a 20-year period.
To address visual, noise and water concerns, the developer's plan includes buffers, limiting generator usage and upgrading infrastructure.
"If this rezoning is approved by the Board of Supervisors, there's still multiple steps that will be undertaken in the development process," a representative said. "If a rezoning were approved and the concept and offers were approved, the next step would really be site plan review."
The presentation was followed by passionate residents taking to the podium, beginning with those in favor.
"I'm here tonight as both a resident and a tradeswoman who cares deeply about this community," one supporter said. "From my perspective in the electrical field data centers represent real opportunity."
Another supporter added that "this data center will provide good paying jobs for the construction workers in Hanover, central Virginia and beyond."
However, two hours of comments from opponents followed.
"Approving this project does not guarantee a windfall it guarantees a tax shelter for the developer while sending the utility bill to Hanover County residents," one resident said.
Another opponent criticized the developer's approach, saying, "We've had to work to combat misinformation pushed on us by data center developers, the only side of the narrative they push is money, money, money."
The planning commission's decision to defer will send the matter to the Board of Supervisors, which will make the final vote on whether to bring this data center to Hanover.
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