Commission recommends denial of Amazon data center near Culpeper
In a 5 to 4 vote, the Culpeper County Planning Commision voted last week to recommend the denial of a rezoning request from Amazon to construct a data center in Stevensburg.
During the nearly ve hour meeting, the commission not only heard from applicant Marvell Developments LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon Data Services, but many members of the public who spoke both in favor and against the project.
“The Germanna Foundation has worked tirelessly to maintain the historic landscape of Salubria that people from all across Virginia and the country want to visit,” said Executive Director of the Germanna Foundation Timothy Sutphin.
Many spoke about the conservation of Salubria, an 18th century Georgian-style manor house built by the Rev. John Thompson, which sits about a half mile from the proposed site.
“How are we to protect these priceless and irreplaceable resources against the e ects of such a massive construction project?” Sutphin asked.
Commissioner Catherine Reames made the motion to recommend denial based upon not being consistent with the comprehensive plan, the area character and will negatively impact the surrounding community.
As an advisory board, the planning commission’s recommendation for denial will move to the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors for a nal determination on April 9, tentatively.
The Woodbridge-based development rm submitted the rezoning of 20420 Germanna Highway from an A-1 (Agricultural) to LI (Light Industrial). The site, approximately 233.63 acres, is currently home to the Magnolia Equestrian Center.
According to the application, Marvell Developments intended to build two structures spread across two phases. Phase A would consist of a single-story structure totalling 245,050-squarefeet. Phase B would consist of a second single-story structure totalling 182,140-square-feet, for a total of 427,190-square-feet.
According to Director of Planning and Zoning Director Sam McLearen, Amazon would potentially make an estimated $500 million investment.
Many speakers took to the podium to voice the root of their opposition including preserving agriculture and historical land, seemingly straying away from the county’s comprehensive plan, the optics of spot zoning and the potential of a future state park in the vicinity.
A er nearly two hours of public comment – most of which were in opposition – Culpeper County’s former economic development director Carl Sachs sang a di erent tune.
“If we’re in the mode to attract high tech, high paying businesses, having an Amazon data center located in Culpeper, you couldn’t buy the marketing, the positive marketing that creates.”
“It’s important for us to embrace and preserve our agricultural heritage, to preserve our history, but we also have to embrace the future and we should be able to do that.”
On Feb. 23, Culpeper County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Deal posted his thoughts on the project on social media on the heels of some criticism of the plan.
“Amazon Web Services will be a great partner for Culpeper,” he wrote. “Should we just turn our backs on what could be millions of dollars per year in revenue coming into the county and its taxpayers? Shouldn't we be thinking about what is in the best interest of our community as a whole?”