Rural Hall residents speak out against data center proposal

Residents in Rural Hall, Forsyth County, North Carolina, are actively opposing a proposed data center project, code-named "Iron Hand." During a community meeting, which was packed with local residents, strong feedback was voiced against the development. Montrose LCA, a planning firm hired by developer Drops Group out of Charlotte, is working on the project, which involves building a data center on 130 acres with four buildings and a substation. The project's site plan is incomplete and requires revision after two streams were found on the property. Residents expressed frustration over potential noise, estimated between 55 and 60 decibels, light pollution, and other environmental impacts. Many stated they are not interested in the development disrupting their neighborhood. While an initial date of April 9th was mentioned for the project to go before the Planning Board, representatives from Montrose indicated that it would likely be several months before the proposal is ready for a board review.