Rockingham City Council to set public hearing for proposed data center

The Rockingham City Council is preparing to set a public hearing for a significant rezoning request from Terra Nexus Land Fund I, LLC, which seeks to transform over 165 acres on Old Cheraw Highway from high-density residential to conditional light industrial. This change is necessary for the development of a proposed $1.2 billion data center. The property, acquired by Terra Nexus in June, was initially slated for a residential subdivision, but homebuilders showed little interest due to its proximity to the city's wastewater treatment facility. The Rockingham Planning Board unanimously recommended the rezoning at its August 4th meeting.

The proposed data center project includes four 156,000-square-foot buildings and a 16-acre substation. The facility is expected to employ 30 full-time staff upon full build-out. Addressing community concerns, a commissioned noise study indicated that the data center would not exceed 48.4 weighted decibels, remaining below the city's 55 dbA limit. The developer also revised its cooling system to a closed-loop design, significantly reducing daily water consumption to primarily domestic use for occupants, a considerable drop from the initial estimate of 75,000 gallons per day.

Local residents have expressed opposition, attending a recent Richmond County Board of Commissioners meeting to voice concerns about data centers. An online petition has been initiated, advocating for a 12-month moratorium on data center development. The site's appeal to the developer is largely due to the two existing Duke Energy transmission lines that cross the property, which are vital for powering the facility.