PETERSBURG, Va. β Some Petersburg residents are pushing back against a proposed 175-acre data center that could be built off Halifax and Squirrel Level Road, urging city leaders to reject the project.
Several residents expressed concerns about the development during a packed meeting at Petersburg Library Tuesday night, particularly regarding rezoning measures that would allow developers to build roads through the Ramblewood neighborhood to access the data center.
"I don't think it will be good for us at all," said Nathan Howard, who recently moved to the area. "I live off one of the roads that's directly going to be affected by the development and by the rezoning itself."
Howard said city leaders were not transparent about the rezoning measures affecting families living on and near Ramblewood.
Despite the opposition, Councilman Arnold Westbrook Jr. from Ward 7 supports the project, viewing it as an opportunity for Petersburg to enter the growing artificial intelligence industry.
"How can we be state of the art with technology? So data centers is that future," Westbrook said.
Westbrook estimates the proposed center could bring between 15 and 30 jobs, depending on the company's size. While he said he does not know the project's cost, he projected the city could see "hundreds of millions if not close to a billion dollars" in revenue.
Resident Scott Perkins worries about the data center's proximity to homes and its environmental impact.
"They should find a way to access this property without going through a residential area," Perkins said. "We've got about 50 signatures of people that oppose the rezoning and to add these roads and we're going to take it to the planning commission tomorrow."
The planning commission meeting will give Ward 7 families another opportunity to voice their concerns and seek answers about the project. City council leaders expect to vote on the data center proposal in March.
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