Rockingham Council to hold public hearing on data center rezoning
The Rockingham City Council is holding a public hearing for a rezoning request by Terra Nexus Land Fund I, LLC, to permit a $1.2 billion data center on 165 acres. The property was initially planned for residential development but changed due to its proximity to a wastewater treatment facility. The proposal addresses environmental concerns including noise and water usage, with the Planning Board recommending approval.
The Rockingham City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing to deliberate a rezoning request for a proposed data center by Terra Nexus Land Fund I, LLC. The company seeks to rezone approximately 165 acres at 316 Old Cheraw Highway from high-density residential to conditional light industrial. The site was previously zoned for residential use but proved unattractive to homebuilders due to its adjacency to the city's wastewater treatment facility.
The developer plans a $1.2 billion data center, to be built in phases, with the initial building completed within 9 to 12 months. Measures to mitigate environmental impact include preserving existing vegetation buffers of 300-foot and 100-foot width, and a noise study indicating operational noise will not exceed 48.4 decibels in residential areas, meeting FERC standards. The project also features a closed-loop cooling system, significantly reducing water consumption from an initial estimate of 75,000 gallons per day to mainly domestic use for about 30 occupants. The Rockingham Planning Board unanimously recommended the rezoning for approval during its August 4 meeting.
State Representative Ben Moss, who previously owned part of the rezoned land, issued a statement clarifying he was not involved in "Project Blue Marlin" or Amazon's participation in it. He referenced his legislative record, including votes for the Ratepayer Protection Act, which mandates water conservation and community-impact assessments for large data centers, and the 2026 State Budget, which eliminated sales-tax exemptions for data center electricity. Moss reiterated his support for transparent economic development that creates jobs, protects natural resources, and ensures projects pay their fair share.