Natelli Holdings Presents Data Center And Regional Park Plans At Calvert Commissioners Meeting

Natelli Holdings, a Maryland-based, family-owned company, presented its proposal on March 24 to the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to purchase 133 acres of county-owned land in Prince Frederick, Maryland. The plan includes developing a data center, referred to as "Appeal Digital Park," on the former Dominion laydown site, with an estimated development and construction cost exceeding $3 billion. The proposal also mandates a $30 million investment in a regional park in District 1. During the public comment period, residents expressed numerous concerns. Key issues raised included the potential strain on the energy grid, water usage (despite Natelli's claim of using reclaimed water), noise pollution from the facility, and the impact of corporations on local taxes. Residents from Chesapeake Beach and Lusby specifically voiced opposition, referencing recent zoning changes and demanding the BOCC revert the zoning area back to forest and farming. Furthermore, residents pressured the commissioners for greater transparency and urged a "yes" vote on Commissioner Hart's proposed two-year moratorium on data centers. This moratorium, intended to allow the public more time to understand the implications of such developments, is currently being prepared for a vote scheduled for April.