Wythe County residents voice concerns over AI data center at first public input meeting

On Monday night, nearly 100 Wythe County residents attended the first of a series of public input meetings at Fort Chiswell High School to discuss zoning regulations and a major AI computing campus slated for development at Progress Park, approximately 15 minutes from downtown Wytheville. Residents voiced strong concerns regarding the impact of data centers on the county's rural character, emphasizing the need for regulatory guidance. Local officials acknowledged that Wythe County is one of the few counties in Virginia without comprehensive zoning, making it "very vulnerable to these kinds of unwanted developments." While recognizing residents' respect for property rights, one official stressed the importance of balancing this with community compatibility. The meeting, though not halting the current development, was seen as an initial step towards establishing zoning to prevent uncontrolled data center expansion in Fort Chiswell and the wider Wythe County.