Rural Hall residents prepare to speak out during Forsyth County planning board meeting
Residents of Rural Hall, North Carolina, are actively opposing a proposed data center development on over 100 acres near homes, a school, and a rail line. Concerns primarily revolve around potential impacts on local water and electricity capacity, noise, and road infrastructure. The Forsyth County Planning Board is scheduled to review the proposal before it goes to county commissioners.
Residents in Rural Hall, North Carolina, are mobilizing to oppose a proposed data center project slated for construction on over 100 acres just outside the town's limits. The site, near residential areas, a local school, and a rail line, has sparked significant concern among locals.
Tena Phelps, a Rural Hall resident, voiced strong opposition, citing worries about the data center's water consumption, electricity demands, and the constant humming noise it would generate in their "small area." Carol Moss, who has lived in the neighborhood for 46 years, echoed these sentiments, expressing a desire to maintain the town's existing character. Other residents, including Patricia Osborne, are also disturbed by similar proposals in neighboring communities like Walnut Cove.
Key concerns repeatedly raised by residents include the town's perceived lack of capacity to support the data center's substantial water and electricity needs, as well as the inadequacy of current road infrastructure to handle increased construction traffic. Several residents, speaking off-camera to WXII, suggested relocating the data center to an existing industrial park and expressed frustration that the project would not generate enough local jobs to offset its potential negative impacts.
The proposal is set for review by the Forsyth County Planning Board on Thursday, which will then forward its findings and the application to the county commissioners. The commissioners will conduct two reviews before holding their own public hearing, where community input will be accepted.