Nonprofits hold historical tour to dissuade data center passage on Culpeper farmland
Nearly 100 people braved the cold Monday to tour some of Culpeper’s most historical sites in an e ort to show the damage that may be done with the passage of a proposed rezoning application from Amazon.
Representatives from The Germanna Foundation, American Battle eld Trust, Piedmont Environmental Council and Journey Through Hallowed Ground took members of the public as well as Culpeper County Supervisors on an over two hour tour of Salubria and Hansbrough Ridge.
“The visit is designed to provide a perspective to help the Culpeper Board of Supervisors when they consider the requested zoning change from agricultural to light industrial to accommodate building data centers next door to some of Culpeper’s most important historic and scenic assets,” the invitation to the tour read.
The supervisors will consider the application from Woodbridge-based development rm Marvell Developments LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon Data Ser
vices, during a meeting on April 5.
The rm submitted the rezoning of 20420 Germanna Highway from an A-1 (Agricultural) to LI (Light Industrial) in order to construct over 400,000-squarefeet of data centers on approximately 230 acres, which is currently home to the Magnolia Equestrian Center in Stevensburg.
Additionally, a six acre electrical substation would also be constructed on site
he typical hours of operation for the data center will be 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In a 5 to 4 vote, the Culpeper County Planning Commision voted on March 9 to recommend the denial of a rezoning request.
Salubria, which is about a half mile from the proposed site, is an 18th century Georgian-style manor house built by the Reverend John Thompson. The home was placed on the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register in 1969 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Hansbrough Ridge, which sits conspicuously on the side of Route 3, played an instrumental role in the Civil War in many aspects including hosting 20,000 soldiers of the Army of the Potomac’s 2nd Corps for ve months during the winter of 1863-1864.
While many speakers on the tour recalled Culpeper’s rich history and the need to preserve it, another message became quite clear: they’re not against data centers but simply this speci c one’s location.
“There is room in the county for both data centers and heritage tourism with good planning,” the invitation continued. “The zoning decision will have an indelible impact on our community’s future as well as its history. With so much at stake, we look forward to an outcome that balances all of our community needs.”
Amazon would potentially make an estimated $500 million investment in the project, according to Director of Planning and Zoning Director Sam McLearen, who spoke during the planning commission’s meeting.
Supervisor Susan Gugino, who represents the Stevensburg district, indicated that she has primarily heard negative comments about the proposed project.
“I’ve been hearing nothing but, ‘Please protect our farm land. Please protect our character,’” she said.
“It’s really their. input that matters to me over myTpersonal convictions.”
The majority, she continued, indicate it’s “the right time, wrong place.”
Piedmont Environmental Council took out an advertisement on Facebook to better inform county residents about the proposal and why they should encourage the supervisors to vote it down.
“Now it's more important than ever that supervisors hear from their constituents about the impacts this industrial rezoning would have on a rural and uniquely historic/scenic area of Culpeper,” it read. “Urge the Board to do the right thing and encourage Amazon to seek a location in the County that is already industrially-zoned for data centers.”
The county has ve technology corridors, encompassing nearly 3,000 acres. The proposed data center does not fall within the designated space.
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? Should we not be open and listen going forward into these deliberations, versus having a mindset of NO to this project at this point?”