Neighbors protest a potential data center development in Rowan County

Residents of Rowan County, North Carolina, rallied ahead of a county commissioner's meeting to voice strong opposition to a proposed data center campus off Long Ferry Road. The site, a former farmland, was recently purchased by a developer and rezoned in the fall to allow data center use, a decision that blindsided many local residents. Carol Malone, a neighbor, expressed frustration, stating the development appeared rapidly without community awareness that a data center was a possibility. The county maintains that six public hearings related to the zoning of the Long Ferry Road property have been held since 2021, with notices posted and mailed to adjoining landowners. However, residents like Rick Mahaley and Sal Cerbone claim they never received specific notifications about a data center, despite Mahaley living directly across the street and Cerbone actively canvassing neighbors who also reported no prior knowledge. Concerns extend beyond notification, as Mahaley reported health issues from construction dust and worries about future impacts. While the land has been legally sold and rezoned, meaning no further board of commissioners approval is required for the data center campus itself, the ongoing protests highlight significant community discontent.