Hanover residents rally against large-scale data center proposal

Hanover County residents rallied against a proposed large-scale data center campus called the Mountain Road Tech Park, which plans to rezone 430 acres near Route 33 and Mountain Road in Ashland. This comes after the county's Planning Commission deferred its vote on the project last month, further motivating the community's fight. Dozens of residents packed a recent planning commission meeting, expressing a room full of opposition and urging a vote against the data center. Community members raised concerns about increased energy demand, strain on infrastructure, traffic congestion, and significant environmental impacts, including potential effects on water resources and air quality. One resident highlighted the high water demand, stating the campus would use approximately 600,000 gallons of water per day. The developer maintains that the project aligns with the county's comprehensive plan and proposes buffer zones of 50 to 200 feet to minimize visibility and limit construction hours. They also claim the campus will avoid using well water. However, opponents view the developers as "salesmen pushing windowless monsters" that would negatively affect the county for decades. Residents are now appealing to the Board of Supervisors to stand with them against the proposal.