Exit Interview: After eight years as Warrenton mayor, what does Carter Nevill say he leaves behind?
Outgoing Warrenton Mayor Carter Nevill reflects on his eight-year tenure, highlighting the contentious approval of an Amazon data center. This decision led to significant public opposition and a lawsuit that has stalled the project. The Town Council later changed the zoning code to remove data centers as a permitted use.
Outgoing Warrenton Mayor Carter Nevill reflects on his eight-year tenure, describing it as a pivotal time for the town. A central point of his mayoralty was the controversial February 2023 approval of a special use permit for an Amazon data center on Blackwell Road. Despite council approval, the decision faced massive public opposition, including an appearance by actor Robert Duvall, and has since led to ongoing litigation that has halted construction.
Nevill defends the council's decision, asserting the permit had thorough conditions and that the process was transparent, countering claims of "secret meetings." He criticizes Amazon's "absolutely horrible" efforts to communicate with the public, which left council members as targets of community anger. He also notes the subsequent action by a different Town Council in 2025 to remove data centers as a permitted use in the town's zoning code.
Reflecting on his time, Nevill expresses no regrets regarding the Amazon decision, viewing it as a move in the town's best interest. However, he voices disappointment over the increasing polarization in local politics, likening the data center backlash to past opposition against a Walmart development. He hopes for a future of more constructive dialogue in Warrenton.