Tag Archive for: #datacenters

VGCC Board Of Trustees Votes Against Hosting Educational Forum On Data Centers

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In a special called meeting on Thursday, Sept. 3, the Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees decided against hosting an educational forum to discuss the issue of data centers.

At its regularly scheduled meeting on July 20, the board heard two requests from residents during the Public Comment period requesting the board consider hosting a public forum to give the community an opportunity to learn more about data centers, which has been a hot-button topic in Vance County for months.

At that meeting, the board instructed VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais to create a framework for a public forum.

“They specified that the framework should include a forum structure and guidelines,” Desmarais said in a statement Friday afternoon to WIZS News. “They also requested that I articulate the pros and cons of hosting such a forum and give them a recommendation on whether the College should indeed host such a forum.”

At Thursday’s meeting, the board reviewed the proposal, and, after what Desmarais described as “lengthy” discussions, Trustee Gordon Wilder made two motions, the first of which was withdrawn and replaced with a second motion to remove the VGCC administration from the responsibility of organizing an educational forum regarding data centers.

Trustee Tony Cozart seconded the motion and it passed unanimously in a roll-call vote.

Wilder’s first motion included keeping the college as a possible host site for a forum if a request came from a county commission or other recognized group from Vance, Granville, Warren or Franklin counties, which comprise the VGCC service area.

Desmarais said the board members considered a variety of concerns and options during their discussion, including risks of disruption from possible protests and the strain on college resources and staff that such an event could create.

According to Desmarais, Trustee Carolyn Faines – who also chairs the Vance County Board of Commissioners – questioned the logic of organizing an educational event before any formal application or filing for a data center has been made in Vance County. Desmarais said Faines characterized it as “putting the cart before the horse.”

Several board members suggested that another group could rent the Civic Center to host a forum and indicated a certain degree of comfort with providing a venue rather than hosting the event and the college would not be seen as organizing or endorsing the event.

In addition to Desmarais, trustees in attendance were Tony Cozart, Tare Davis, Carolyn Faines, Tom Harris, Dorwin Howard, Bruce Howerton, Abdul Rashid, Michael Schriver, Archie Taylor, Corey Thornton, Elaine Trujillo, Sara Wester, Gordon Wilder, Brenda Williamson, Xavier Wortham and Danny Wright.

TownTalk: VGCC Trustees To Consider The Possibility Of Hosting An Educational Forum About Data Centers

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The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees will convene Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at a special called meeting to consider the possibility of hosting an educational forum about data centers.

With lots of uncertainty across the community surrounding this polarizing issue, VGCC leaders have been approached about having an information session that could present relevant information in an objective format.

With uncertainty comes speculation, and although the county has not gotten any applications for any data center project, there is plenty of speculation floating around about a particular tract of properties along U.S. Hwy. 158 Business that recently was rezoned to Light Industrial.

County commissioners approved the rezoning in April, which made a final tract and the roughly 500 or so adjoining acres, and tracts, to conform with one another.

Names on the rezoning request included Natelli Investments, a Maryland-based developer associated with data centers.

In early July, Thomas Natelli responded to an email from a Vance County resident regarding the rezoning approval.

In the email, Natelli included an update on the project.

“Since the rezoning was completed in April, we have been conducting extensive due diligence on a range of matters and developing a program for a data center campus on the site. We expect to begin community engagement later this summer in conjunction with the site plan process. That will include community meetings where we will share project information, answer questions, and listen to community feedback,” the email stated.

He referred to pending legislation in the General Assembly that could have implications for the project. Senate Bill 730 is one of the pieces of legislation that focuses on water and electricity use that data centers require, among other issues.

“We recognize that the limited information available during the rezoning process has created the perception of a lack of transparency. I want to assure you and the community that we are committed to engaging openly with the community as our program for the site comes together. In the meantime, we are happy to continue the dialogue,” the email continued.

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The Local Skinny! Refinement for a UDO

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Members of the Vance County Board of Commissioners and the Vance County Planning Board had a joint meeting Tuesday afternoon to continue discussions to refine a draft unified development ordinance, looking specifically at Section/Article 5 that talks about data centers.

Those present around the table were reminded that, currently, a data center is allowable – without. a special use permit – in the Light Industrial and in Office & Industrial zoning districts, and technically would be allowed in areas zoned Heavy Industrial Mining.

At a previous joint meeting of the two boards, Commissioner Dan Brummitt had suggested that the group consider first the Article 5 and then use that agreed-upon language to create a text amendment to the county’s present zoning rules.

He reiterated that point at Tuesday’s meeting.

“I guess at this point, we need to give some guidance to – which I think our board already did at our last meeting – (on how) we wanted to proceed with a text amendment. That was the direction that we had asked for.”

County Attorney Jonathan Care reminded the group of the process – the planning board has to review and then recommend – or not recommend – the UDO to commissioners for their consideration.

The planning board’s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10 and the next commissioners’ meeting is Sept. 14.

Close to an hour into the meeting, Commissioners Board Chair Carolyn Faines asked Sheriff Curtis Brame to address the audience because numerous individuals were interrupting the meeting with comments calling for a moratorium.

A moratorium, while not off the table, is a popular idea with many residents who have spoken out over the past several months in opposition to data center development on property off U.S. Hwy 158.

But here’s where things get tricky.

Michael Harvey with NFocus, the group helping the county update the UDO, said the state’s December 2024 downzoning law makes it difficult for local governments to amend zoning regulations.

Any changes to the ordinance would not have any effect on existing or proposed applications for any development, data centers included.

And similarly, putting a moratorium in place for any period of time would not affect any current project; it would only give county leadership a certain length of time to study the issue and have Vance County more prepared for future data center proposals.

 

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TownTalk: Vance County Commissioners, Planning, Environmental Committees Will Meet Aug. 10 To Discuss Possibility Of Moratorium On Data Centers

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners Chair Carolyn Faines has called for a planning and environmental committee meeting on Monday, Aug. 10 to discuss requirements for a moratorium as part of the ongoing debate about the possibility of a proposed data center on a parcel of land recently rezoned along Hwy. 158 Business.

Commissioner Leo Kelly said he had planned to enter a motion at Monday’s regular monthly meeting calling for a moratorium, but was informed that it would not comply with North Carolina General Statutes.

Kelly recalled last week’s town hall community forum at Bearpond Fire Department, during which he spoke briefly about his opinions surrounding the idea of a data center locating in Vance County. “I was for slowing the process down,” Kelly said following the public comment portion of Monday’s meeting, during which more than a half dozen people signed up to speak – most in opposition to data centers coming to Vance County.

Kelly said the upcoming meeting will be a step toward considering the issues and concerns raised by community members and to see what next steps should be taken.

“I hope that we can reach a decision that will benefit us all,” he said.

Find the reference to the state law at https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_160D/GS_160D-107.pdf

The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room, 122 Young St. and will be streamed on the county’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUMNYAAhyvKx5leijt5iK6Q

 

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TownTalk: Data Centers Monopolize Time At Wednesday’s Town Hall-Style Forum In District 4

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Folks filled up Bearpond FD Wednesday to take part in the first in a series of community forums hosted by Vance County commissioners.

At a previous commissioners’ meeting, District 4 Commissioner Dan Brummitt volunteered to host the first one; future gatherings are scheduled for the county’s other six districts.

For the first 10 minutes or so of the hour-long session, Brummitt reviewed questions that had been submitted and provided basic answers, but it didn’t take long to get to the topic that no doubt was of interest and concern to many in the room: data centers.

He distributed copies of a three-page “fact sheet” from county staff that addressed six issues associated with data centers, including property tax impacts and infrastructure and environmental considerations.

While the commissioner reiterated previous information that the county has, to date, received no applications for permits, he did state that there’s some site work being done now on at least a portion of the roughly 550 acres in the area of U.S. 158, Poplar Creek Road and I-85.

“We’re aware that (developer Tom) Natelli is working on their plan right now,” Brummitt said, adding that any work would be through agreements with the landowners and not because any permits have been requested or granted.

At times, the crowd was loud as it expressed disagreement and all but drowned out Brummitt’s comments. Several asked about the possibility of a moratorium on data centers. Four other commissioners were among those present at the community forum, and one participant asked to poll those commissioners to find out whether they’d also support a moratorium, an idea Brummitt had suggested in previous meetings that he may willing to get behind.

Commissioner Leo Kelly acknowledged the controversy surrounding data centers, and said he’d had reservations at first. While he didn’t state which side he’d come down on – moratorium or no moratorium, he did say that a moratorium would “kill” the idea of a data center.

“If we slow the process down, how do we meet the needs?” Kelly said, referring to county-funded projects like building a new jail and paying higher supplements to attract and retain teachers.

“We’ve got issues in this county that we’re not able to fund,” Kelly said. “If we have a moratorium, then we’ve got to find revenue to meet those needs.”

But Henderson resident Anne Rivera, who has been a vocal critic of the data center, asked: “What’s the resistance to allowing more time?”

Brummitt said he has received comments from residents who are in support of data centers as well as those who oppose location of such a facility in Vance County.

“We have to listen to all of it and then wait for the facts,” he said.

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TownTalk: What If Vance County Had A Data Center?

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For the past few months, county residents have spoken up to express their opposition to data centers.

They’ve signed up to speak during the public comment portion of regular monthly Vance County Board of Commissioners meetings.

They’ve been vocal on social media, offering opinions and posting information about all the bad stuff that happens in communities where data centers are located.

And multiple speakers at Monday’s commissioners meeting called on the board to establish a moratorium on data center development.

Commissioner Valencia Perry asked the board to think about a moratorium. “May I speak about what they’re talking about?” she asked Chair Carolyn Faines. “’Cause evidently they ain’t going nowhere,” which got a round of applause from the audience.

County Manager Renee Perry recommended that commissioners discuss researching a data center moratorium at its next work session.

To recap, the Vance County Planning Board recommended in April that about 40 acres along U.S. Hwy 158 be rezoned from EIA – Employment Institutional Area – to Light Industrial.

There currently are no plans for development of the property under discussion, but, because a name on the rezoning request included a name associated with a Maryland-based data center developer, residents concluded that the site would be the site of a data center in the future.

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