Worcester blocks proposed cable landing station
Worcester County has blocked Globalinx's proposed cable landing station from advancing under its current C-2 zoning, ruling it is not a public utility. This decision, influenced by community opposition and resource concerns, requires Globalinx to appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals or await new county legislation defining such facilities.
Globalinx proposed a 24,800-square-foot cable landing station on Route 611 in Worcester County, Maryland, intended to serve Amazon's transatlantic cables. The project, which would use up to 5 megawatts of power, was initially brought before the county's Technical Review Committee in January.
On June 2, county planning officials, including Jennifer Keener, director of development review and permitting, rejected Globalinx's argument that the facility qualified as a public utility under the existing C-2 general commercial zoning. Staff concluded the facility would not directly serve the general public, thereby blocking its normal progression to the Planning Commission. Globalinx must now seek a special exception or an overturn of this interpretation from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
The project also faces significant community opposition, with concerns raised by descendants about the impact on the historic Purnell Cemetery. Worcester County Commissioner Eric Fiori has been a vocal opponent, framing the project as industrial development unsuitable for rural Route 611 and highlighting concerns about the county's limited water and sewer resources.
During a May 14 town hall, Fiori publicly challenged Globalinx CEO Greg Twitt's admission that the company was not a public utility. Following this, Fiori successfully moved for county staff to draft new legislation to define zoning for cable landing stations and data centers, aimed at preventing similar developments in areas deemed unsuitable.