The Loudoun Board of Supervisors will consider at its November 15 meeting a proposal to rezone a parcel next to Goose Creek, a State Scenic River, to allow construction of a large 9-building data center complex. Citizen and citizen group objections include environmental ones (vast addition of impervious surfaces adding runoff to the creek, just upstream of public water intakes, removal of 90% percent of tree cover on the site, which further helps buffer contaminants from entering the water supply, danger to ecologically rare communities cited by the state, and several endangered species), and planning ones: The proposed new use is NOT in conformance with, and is a fundamental direction change from, the existing Comprehensive Plan. And since the County has entered into a public process, “Envision Loudoun,” to review and update its current Plan, the decision to approve the proposed rezoning is premature, and shouldn’t be taken without proper consideration due such a significant use change. A one-page flyer on the proposal is available here.TrueNorthDataCenterInfoGraphic

Citizens are encouraged to attend the public hearing, 6 p.m. Wednesday November 15, to show opposition to approval (in support of those speaking out against it). Citizens’ physical presence is the best way to demonstrate to Supervisors that data centers are a good idea, but this one is in the wrong place.