* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [I. Call to Order] [00:00:19] I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE FLYING BY THE UNITED STATES AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY IN JUSTICE. STRONG. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT ITEM [III. Adoption of the Agenda] TONIGHT IS THE ADOPTION OF OUR AGENDA. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ADOPTION OR THE, UH, AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THE AGENDAS ADOPTED. NEXT IS THE [IV. Adoption of the Regular Meeting Minutes] ADOPTION OF OUR REGULAR MEETING MINUTES. FIRST ONE BEING THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM JUNE 10TH, 2026. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED FOR THE REGULAR MEETING. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THOSE ARE ADOPTED NOW THE ADOPTION OF THE WORK SESSION MINUTES FROM JUNE 10TH, 2026. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION AS PRESENTED. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. MINUTES ARE APPROVED. OUR NEXT [V. Consent Agenda] ITEM IS THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE FOR NEXT MONTH. UH, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. THERE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDAS ADOPTED. OKAY. WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT. YEAH. FIRST ONE [VI.A. CUP2026-06-01 - Short-Term Tourist Rental - 339 River Oak Drive - A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 339 River Oak Drive and is identified on tax map 35B, section 3, as lot H. The property is zoned Agricultural (A) and is located in the South River Magisterial District. - Kelly Wahl , Planning Director] CUP 20 26 0 6 0 1. SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL 3 39 RIVER OAK DRIVE. REQUEST FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3 39 RIVER OAK DRIVE IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP 35 B SECTION THREE IS LOT H PROPERTIES OWNED AGRICULTURAL ZONE AND LOCATED IN THE SOUTH RIVER MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT. MS. WALL. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTAL TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY, ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT LODGING EXPERIENCE THAT CELEBRATES THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF WARREN COUNTY. WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, THE OWNERS, ALONG WITH THE LOCAL PROPERTY MANAGER WILL OVERSEE ALL ASPECTS OF THE RENTAL PROCESS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT. NO PREVIOUS CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FOR LAND USES IN THE AGRICULTURAL ZONING DISTRICT. THE DWELLING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 2020 AND NO ZONING VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN RECORDED FOR THE PROPERTY. THERE ARE SEVEN APPROVED AND ACTIVE SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTALS. IN THE SUBJECT SUBDIVISION, THERE IS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT OPERATION PERMIT APPROVING A MAXIMUM OF FOUR OCCUPANTS FOR THE THREE BEDROOM DWELLING. THE PROPERTY MANAGER IS LOCATED 21.6 MILES FROM THE PROPERTY WITHIN THE 30 MILE REQUIRED RADIUS. A REQUEST FOR COMMENTS WAS SUBMITTED TO THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION AT RIVER OAK WHO EXPRESSED THEIR GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMENTS AND REQUEST ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS THAT PROHIBIT RENTERS FROM FLYING DRONES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT RENTERS MAINTAIN QUIET HOURS FROM 10:00 PM TO 8:00 AM AND THAT RENTERS ABIDE BY THE SPEED LIMIT OF 15 MILES PER HOUR. THE DWELLING MEETS THE SETBACK REQUIREMENT TO ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS. THE CLOSEST BEING 429 FEET TO THE WEST PLANNING STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS BE ADDED TO THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION CHOOSES TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS PERMIT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. NUMBER ONE, THE APPLICANT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL WARREN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WARREN COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND VIRGINIA STATEWIDE FIRE PREVENTION CODE REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. NUMBER TWO, THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE SYSTEM CAPACITY DETERMINED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERMIT PER WARREN COUNTY CODE SUBSECTION 180 DASH 56.4. THE CERTIFICATE OF ZONING SHALL ONLY BE ISSUED WITH APPROVED HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECORDS. NUMBER THREE, THE APPLICANT SHALL HAVE THE WELL WATER TESTED ANNUALLY FOR ECOLINE COLIFORM. BACTERIA IN A COPY OF THOSE RESULTS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. AND LASTLY, NUMBER FOUR, THE APPLICANT SHALL HAVE THE SEPTIC SYSTEM SERVICED EVERY FIVE YEARS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND A COPY OF THE SERVICE INVOICE SHALL BE PROVIDED TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS NOTIFIED. I AM UNSURE IF THE APPLICANT IS WITH US THIS EVENING, BUT I AM AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. OKAY. WITH THAT, THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THIS IS OPEN, YOU WANNA SIGN UP? ALLISON? [00:05:01] THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. MR. CHAIR. ? YEAH, YOU'VE BEEN BUSY. I WAS VERY BUSY. UH, JANELLE WERA, DID YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT? OKAY, THEN THAT WOULD BE, NO, SIR. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE CROWD THEN WHO WOULD CARE TO SPEAK TO IT ANYHOW? SEE NO ONE COME FORWARD. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. I THINK THE REQUEST OF THE HOA IS ACTUALLY, UH, A GOOD ONE AS FAR AS NO DRONES. BUT ISN'T THE COUNTY QUIET HOURS DURING THE WEEK SEVEN OR 9:00 PM TO 7:00 AM AND THE WEEKENDS IS SEVEN TO NINE TO NINE? NO, I BELIEVE IT IS SEVEN TO 10 ON THE WEEKENDS. 10:00 PM TO 7:00 AM I CAN CONFIRM. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN A, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. I BELIEVE THEY'RE ASKING FOR ONE ADDITIONAL HOUR OF QUIET TIME. YEAH. OKAY. I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. I DO SEE WHERE DRONES COULD BE ISSUES DO TOO. AND MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT THAT. UM, ADD THAT AS A PERMANENT ONE. YEAH. WELL SINCE, OH, SORRY. . OKAY. I WAS TOLD I'M NOT SPEAKING INTO THE MICROPHONE. UH, SINCE THE APPLICANT'S NOT HERE, IS THAT SOMETHING WE COULD ADD AS ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS? YES, WE CAN ADD THAT. UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO AND FOR CONFIRMATION THE IT IS 10:00 PM TO 7:00 AM AND 7:00 AM TO 10:00 PM THERE ARE DIFFERENT FOR AG. THAT'S FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RESIDENTIAL. OKAY. SO THEY'RE JUST ADDING ONE MORE HOUR. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. ANYONE PREPARED FOR A MOTION THEN? WHEN YOU MAKE THE MOTION, WILL YOU PLEASE ADD THE CONDITION? YES. OKAY. I MOVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD THIS APPLICATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. 20 26 0 6 0 1 FOR SHORT TERM TOURIST WITH THE CONDITIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF AND SPEED LIMIT OF 15 NO DRONE OPERATIONS AND QUIET HOURS FROM 10:00 PM TO 8:00 AM IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY, I'LL VOTE IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? AYE. HAVE IT. THEY'LL BE PASSED ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. I'M ANTICIPATING IN ABOUT A MONTH, BUT I'M NOT FOR CERTAIN. OUR NEXT ITEM TONIGHT, [VI.B. Z2026-05-01 Zoning Text Amendment for Data Centers in the Industrial (I) Zoning District - A request to amend Chapter 180 of the Warren County Code to amend §180-8C to add a definition for data center and other associated definitions, to amend §180-28D to add data center as a use permitted by conditional use permit in the Industrial (I) zoning district, and to enact new performance standards for data centers. - Kelly Wahl , Planning Director] Z 20 26 0 5 0 1 ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT FOR DATA CENTERS IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT. OUR QUEST TO AMEND, AMEND CHAPTER 180, THE WARREN COUNTY CODE TO AMEND SUBSECTION 180 DASH EIGHT C TO ADD A DEFINITION FOR DATA CENTER AND OTHER ASSOCIATED DEFINITIONS TO AMEND SUBSECTION 180 DASH 28 D TO ADD DATA CENTER AS A USE PERMITTED BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT. AND TO ENACT NEW PERFORMANCE STANDARDS CENTERS MS. WALL. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. ATTACHED YOU WILL FIND A COPY OF A DRAFT ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 180 OF THE WARREN COUNTY CODE TO AMEND SUBSECTION 180 DASH EIGHT C TO ADD A DEFINITION FOR DATA CENTER AND OTHERS AS DEFINITIONS TO AMEND SUBSECTION 180 DASH 28 D TO ADD DATA CENTER AS A USE PERMITTED BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT AND TO ENACT NEW PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR DATA CENTERS. THIS ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED BY DAN DOTY ON BEHALF OF RUSH MARK ROCKLAND, LLC, OWNERS OF PARCEL IDS 12 A DASH ONE 16 DASH A TWO AND PARCEL 12 A DASH ONE 16 DASH A THREE WARREN COUNTY CODE SUBSECTION 180 DASH 61 A ONE ALLOWS FOR ANY AMENDMENT TO BE INITIATED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER. PROPERTY OWNER PETITION BY THE FOLLOWING OF A PETITION TO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR. ANY OWNER OR OWNERS OF LAND CONTRACT PURCHASER WITH OWNER'S WRITTEN CONSENT OR THE OWNER'S AGENT MAY INITIATE A PRO A PROPOSITION TO AMEND OR REZONE. SUCH PETITION SHALL BE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND SHALL BE COMPLETED ON A STANDARD FORM PROVIDED BY THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR ALONG WITH SUCH AYING DOCUMENTATION AS MAY BE REQUIRED, AND ACCOMPANIED BY A REASONABLE FEE TO BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A FEE SCHEDULE SEPARATELY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED. THE APPLICANT IS [00:10:01] WITH US THIS EVENING IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. OKAY. DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? GOOD AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR THE TIME AND CONSIDERING THIS APPLICATION, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, SIR. SURE. I'M DAN DOTY AND I REPRESENT RUSHMORE PROPERTIES, THE OWNER OF, OF THIS LAND. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME CONSIDERING THIS APPLICATION. I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COMMISSIONER'S TIME AS WELL AS THAT OF THE STAFF AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. OUR DEVELOPMENT SITE IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROCKLAND ROAD AND ROUTE THREE 40. THIS IS WITHIN THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR OF THE COMPREHENSIVE MAP OF FUTURE LAND USES. SINCE PURCHASING THE SITE IN 2023, RUSH MARK HAS DESIGNED AN INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE PARK FOR DISTRIBUTION. WE'VE OBTAINED FINAL SITE PLAN APPROVAL. WE'VE OBTAINED A ROAD IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND WE'VE SECURED WATER AND SEWER FROM THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. WE ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THESE THINGS WITH THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A READY TO GO DEVELOPMENT SITE FOR INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE TENANT SO THEY GET SHORTENED THE TIME DELIVERY AND GET THEM IN A FULLY COMPLETED BUILDING IN OCCUPANCY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE AND DISTRIBUTION MARKET THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND FOR THIS REASON, RUSH MARK HAS CAST A WIDE NET IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVE USES FOR THIS VERY WELL LOCATED SITE IN A VERY GREAT COUNTY WITH THE DEEP SKILLED WORKFORCE. WE ARE PROPOSING THE SONY TEXT AMENDMENT BECAUSE WE THINK THIS SITE IS UNIQUELY SUITED FOR DATA CENTER USE BECAUSE THE, THE ATTRIBUTES OF THIS SITE, SPECIFICALLY THE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY ON SITE AND ADJACENT TO THIS SITE, THERE IS A 500 KV HIGH POWER TRANSMISSION LINE RUNNING THROUGH THIS SITE. THERE IS A HIGH PRESSURE GAS LINE RUNNING THROUGH THE SITE AND IT IS ADJACENT TO THE WARREN COUNTY POWER STATION AND ASSOCIATED SUBSTATION. WE'VE LISTENED TO THE CONCERNS OF THE COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS AND WE THINK THESE ARE VERY VALID CONCERNS AND WE WANNA ADDRESS THEM POINT BY POINT. NOTABLY, DEVELOPMENT OF THIS DATA CENTER WOULD PRODUCE APPROXIMATELY 2.4 MILLION OF ANNUAL TAX REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY. THAT REPRESENTS A 2.6% INCREASE IN REVENUE FROM THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR. SO HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH THIS? WE HAVE, HAVE, HAVE THE INTENTION OF WORKING WITH THIS COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. THESE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS REQUIRE OUR DESIGN TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA PRIOR TO APPROVAL OF A SITE PLAN AND ISSUANCE OF A BUILDING PERMIT. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THESE ARE ONGOING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT OBLIGATE A DATA CENTER TO COMPLY BY THOSE STANDARDS SUCH AS ACOUSTIC AND NOISE VIBRATION AMONG OTHER RESTRICTIONS OR ITS OPERATION. IF IT DOESN'T MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS, THE INITIAL USE PERMIT WOULD BE RESCINDED, WHICH WOULD BE A, A BIG DEAL FOR ANY DATA CENTER OPERATOR. THESE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ENSURE THAT WE DELIVER WHAT WE ARE PROMISING THE TAX REVENUE WITHOUT THE NEGATIVE POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT HAVE PLAGUED SOME OTHER COUNTIES THAT HAVEN'T PURSUED THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT. SO WHAT ARE THESE CONCERNS? FIRST AND FOREMOST IS WATER USAGE. THIS HAS BEEN WELL REPORTED FOR MANY DATA CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. RUSH MARK IS PROPOSING THAT WE PURSUE AIR CHILLED AIR HANDLING UNITS. WE WILL NOT USE ANY MORE WATER THAN AN INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE THAT'S ALREADY APPROVED FOR THIS SITE. THE WATER THAT IS USED ON SITE WILL BE FOR HUMIDIFICATION, TOILETS AND FIRE SAFETY. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER WAREHOUSE, WE ALREADY HAVE APPROVAL TO USE WATER AND SEWER FROM THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. WE'RE NOT TAPPING INTO A, WELL, WE'RE NOT DEPLETING THE THE WATER TABLE TAX LOOPHOLES. UH, WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS DATA CENTER IS LEASED OR SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD TO A TAX EXEMPT ENTITY? RUSH MARK HAS PROPOSED A PILOT IN LIEU OF TAXES WHEREBY IF ANY TAX EXEMPT TENANT LEASED OR BOUGHT THE BUILDING, THEY WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO PAY THE EQUIVALENT OF TAXES IN THE FORM OF A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES OR PILOT. THIS PROTECTS THE TAX REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY GENERATOR NOISE AND POLLUTION FOR A DATA CENTER. GENERATORS ARE NOT RUN CONTINUOUSLY, BUT RATHER THEY ARE TESTED APPROXIMATELY ONCE PER MONTH. THIS WOULD ALSO BE GOVERNED BY THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, WHICH WOULD STIPULATE THE TIME OF DAY THAT THE GENERATORS COULD BE TESTED AS WELL AS THE ALLOWABLE DECIBEL LEVEL THAT COULD BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PROPERTY LINE. ANOTHER CONCERN WHERE THERE'S ONE DATA CENTER, MORE DATA CENTERS APPEAR. WARREN COUNTY WILL BE PROTECTED BY BOTH THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS WELL AS THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. [00:15:01] THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS IN DISCRETIONARY PERMIT AND WARREN COUNTY HAS THE POWER TO CONFIRM OR DENY ANY APPLICATION. FIRE SAFETY AND TRAINING. THE BATTERIES FOR BACKUP POWER THAT ARE IN GENERATORS ARE IN TWO HOUR FIRE RATED. ENCLOSURES, ALL OF THE FIRE SUPPRESSION AND PRE-ACTION SYSTEMS ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THE BUILDING LIMITING ANY EXPOSURE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS OR ADDITIONAL TRAINING REQUIRED FOR THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS. POWER OUTAGES IF THERE'S A POWER OUTAGE, WOULD THE PRESENCE OF A DATA CENTER MAKE IT LESS LIKELY THAT POWER BE RESTORED FOR THE COMMUNITY? DATA CENTERS ARE DESIGNED TO RUN THROUGH POWER OUTAGES. THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE A GENERATOR AS MANY OF THEM CAN RUN FOR DAYS. UTILITY COMPANIES GENERALLY PRIORITIZE RESTORATION OF POWER FIRST FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND THEN HOUSEHOLDS. SECURITY DATA CENTERS, HOUSE DATA AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED. THEY GENERALLY HAVE MORE SECURITY THAN ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL BUILDING FIBER. THERE CURRENTLY MIGHT NOT BE ADEQUATE FIBER IN FRONT ROYAL FOR A DATA CENTER, THIS WOULD IS A COST THAT BE BORN BY THE DATA CENTER DEVELOPER THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH THAT FIBER PROVIDER AND THAT COST AMORTIZED BACK TO THE DATA CENTER OVER THE LIFETIME OF THAT DATA CENTER. NO COST IS PASSED ON IN THE COMMUNITY. ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE, ALL ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE BUILDING PURSUANT TO CODE. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY ENCLOSURES AROUND CABLES AND SERVER RACKS AND GROUNDING SYSTEMS TO SAFELY DISSIPATE THE EMI. THERE WILL BE NO INTERFERENCE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. DOES NOT AFFECT CELLULAR RADIO, ELECTRICAL, OR PUBLIC HEALTH. THIS IS COMPLIANCE THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION. INCREASES IN COST OF POWER FOR THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS ONE THAT'S BEEN WELL REPORTED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. TO DEVELOP A DATA CENTER HERE, THE DEVELOPER WOULD HAVE TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH RAPPA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE THAT OBLIGATES ME, THE DEVELOPER TO PAY THE COST OF ALL DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION TO THE SITE ELECTRICAL POWER. SO ANY UPGRADES ON SITE, THE SUBSTATION ON SITE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BUILD AT OUR COST AS WELL AS UPGRADES TO THE POWER GRID WOULD BE BORN BY THE DEVELOPER. WE WOULD HAVE A DIRECT RATE CONTRACT WITH THE UTILITY PROVIDER SO THAT THE ADDITIONAL COST ELECTRICITY WOULD NOT BE BORN ON OR PASSED ON TO THE COMMUNITY. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN GLYCOL. GLYCOL IS BASICALLY ANTIFREEZE. ALL COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS USE GLYCOL TO SOME EXTENT IN THEIR COOLING SYSTEMS. OUR PROPOSAL IS TO USE NO MORE GLYCOL THAN ANY WAREHOUSE WOULD USE. THAT'S ALREADY APPROVED ON THE SITE. WE DON'T VIEW THIS AS AN INCREMENTAL RISK. HOWEVER, WE CONSIDER ALL RISKS AND FOR THIS REASON, WE HAVE WARRANTIES WITH THE SUBCONTRACTORS WHO BUILD OUT THOSE SYSTEMS. WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL INSURANCE AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO REMEDIATE. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT THERE IS ANY INCIDENT OR SPILL NOISE FROM AIR HANDLING UNITS, OUR AIR HANDLING UNITS WOULD BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE BUILDING, MOUNTED DIRECTLY ON THE SERVER RACKS NOT OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. THERE WOULD BE A COOLING TOWER OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. AND ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS ARE GOVERNED BY THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, WHICH WILL REQUIRE THAT WE LIVE WITHIN A CERTAIN DECIBEL LEVEL. WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING, UH, PRESENTATION MATERIALS FOR, FOR VIEWING FOR EVERYONE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE SITE PLAN THAT WE CIRCULATED, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE A BUFFER, UH, BETWEEN THE DATA CENTERS WE PROPOSED AND ROUTE THREE 40. SO THAT'S AN APPROXIMATELY 20 ACRE PARCEL. IT'S CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED RAW LAND. IT'S OWNED FOR COMMERCIAL. UH, IT'S OWNED BY RUSH MARK THAT WILL SERVE AS A BUFFER BETWEEN THE DATA CENTERS AND ROUTE THREE 40. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE AESTHETIC, THERE'S BEEN CONCERNS THAT DATA CENTERS ARE, YOU KNOW, MONOLITHIC, SOULLESS LOOKING BUILDINGS. UH, YOU KNOW, WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON DELIVERING SOMETHING THAT'S AESTHETICALLY PLEASING. BUT THE TREND IN DATA CENTERS IS FOR MORE WINDOWS, MORE VISION GLASS. SO YOU HAVE LIGHT PENETRATION FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING INSIDE OF THE DATA CENTERS. DATA CENTERS ARE DEDICATING MORE SPACE TO GALLERIES, VIEWING GALLERIES FOR THE ENGINEERS WHO INTERACT WITH THE, THE SERVERS AND THE CLIENT FACING TEAMS AND LESS AND LESS SPACE FOR THE SERVER RACKS AS THE SERVER RACKS BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND REQUIRE LESS SPACE. IN CONCLUSION, NO SINGLE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE ALL OF THE GOALS OF WARREN COUNTY, BUT WE BELIEVE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNLOCK THE INTRINSIC ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE VALUE THAT IS ALREADY ON SITE IN AN AREA THAT IS SURROUNDED BY OTHER [00:20:01] RESIDENT, OTHER INDUSTRIAL USES AND SET BACK FROM ROUTE THREE 40. IN SHORT, THIS IS THE MOST LOGICAL LOCATION FOR A DATA CENTER IN WARREN COUNTY. BECAUSE OF THE SITE SPECIFIC FEATURES, IT CANNOT BE REPLICATED AT ANY OTHER SITE. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH BETWEEN A DEVELOPER AND A COUNTY WHERE WE WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP PERFORMANCE STANDARDS TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FISCAL GROWTH TO GROW THE NON-RESIDENTIAL TAX BASE BY APPROXIMATELY $2.4 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE ACCORDING TO THE FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR APPLICATION. TO PUT A POINT ON THAT 2.4 MILLION TO EQUI TO GENERATE AN EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE WOULD REQUIRE CONSTRUCTING APPROXIMATELY 1,500 HOUSES. IT WOULD REQUIRE APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSES. WHOEVER LIVES IN THOSE HOUSES WILL REQUIRE SERVICES. 2.4 MILLION, 2.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRIAL. THAT WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY 2,300 DAILY VEHICLE TRIPS. ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CONGESTION. THESE DATA CENTERS WILL PRODUCE THIS TAX REVENUE WITHOUT ANY INCREMENTAL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. HEY, HEY, HEY. WELL FOLKS, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS HERE TONIGHT IS TO ACT LIKE AN ADULT. AND IF YOU CAN'T, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HERE WHO WILL HELP YOU. AND I'M SERIOUS ON THAT. NOW, BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, I NEED TO EXPLAIN THE PROCEDURES THAT'S GOING ON. WE ARE TONIGHT HEARING ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR DATA CENTERS AND OUR WORK SESSION. WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL PROPERTIES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FIT WITHIN THIS. WE ARE NOT VOTING ON RUSH MARK PER SE, RIGHT NOW WE'RE VOTING ON THE TEXT AMENDMENT. OUR VOTE IS ONLY A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. HOWEVER WE VOTE THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLIC HEARING. IF THEY VOTE YES, THEN WE'LL MEET BACK AGAIN FOR RUSH, MARK AND WHOMEVER ELSE IF THEY VOTE NO, WE'RE DONE. OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO LIMIT SPEECH TO THREE MINUTES. HIGHLY REQUEST THAT IF YOU HAVE A POINT TO MAKE AND SOMEONE AHEAD OF YOU HAS MADE YOUR POINT WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE THE POINT AGAIN. JUST SAY THAT I AGREE WITH WHOMEVER 'CAUSE WE'RE TAKING NOTES AND WE'LL FOLLOW YOU. SIR. LITERALLY JUST SAID TO US JUST NOW, YOU JUST SAID , UM, THAT UH, SIR, I'M BACK. ONCE THEY MAKE THE DECISION THAT YOU ALREADY STATE, YOU'RE GONNA SAY YES. WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS WE'RE FOLLOWING STATE LAW. ANYTHING COMES BEFORE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND LAND USE HAS TO GO BEFORE OUR PLANNING COMMISSION FIRST. SO SAY THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. SO GO TO THE BOARD. YEP. THE MAKES THE DECISION. THE BOARD MAKES THE DECISION AND THAT'S IT. ALSO, ONE OTHER ONE I DO WANT TO MENTION THE TAX REVENUE THAT WAS MENTIONED HERE. THAT'S WELL AND GOOD. HOWEVER, AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THAT'S NOT ONE OF OUR ISSUES 'CAUSE WE DON'T SET YOUR TAXES. THAT'S THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE TO, TO WEIGH THAT IN. UM, NONE OF YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NOW. AS I WAS SAYING, IT'S GOING TO BE THREE MINUTES. PLEASE KEEP THE APPLAUSE TO DULL ROAR. YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHTS ON THAT. BE ADULT AND I'M NOT GOING TO TOLERATE BOOZE. SO WITH THAT, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. ALLISON, WHO'S FIRST? OKAY, A FEW BRIEF HOUSEKEEPING NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED. EVERYONE WHO IS SIGNED UP WAS PROVIDED WITH A NUMBER. I AM GOING TO BE CALLING YOUR NUMBER IN BATCHES OF 10. SO IF I CAN GET ONE THROUGH 10 UP TO THE PODIUM IN NUMERICAL ORDER WHILE I AM DOING THIS SO WE CAN GET STARTED EFFICIENTLY. EVERYBODY'S GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES. IF AT ANY POINT [00:25:01] YOU DECIDE THAT YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN SPEAKING, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO APPROACH THE STAGE OVER HERE BY THE FLAGPOLE. I WILL COME SPEAK WITH YOU, MAKE NOTE THAT YOU HAD SIGNED UP AND THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER INTERESTED IN SPEAKING. OKAY? IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING TO EITHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT EITHER TO ME AT THIS END OF THE STAGE OR MRS. WALL DOWN AT THE OTHER END OF THE STAGE. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AND ADDED TO THE AGENDA PACKET FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING ABOUT HALF OF THE SIGNUP LIST AND THEN TAKING A 20 MINUTE BREAK. SO WE'RE DOING ONE THROUGH 49 AND THEN THERE WILL BE A 20 MINUTE BREAK. I WILL MENTION IT AGAIN WHEN WE GET TO ROUGHLY NUMBER 40. SO IF I CAN HAVE NUMBERS ONE THROUGH 10, COME UP TO THE PODIUM, GET ME AN GET YOU A NUMERICAL ORDER, AND THEN EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET THREE MINUTES. AND WE NEED YOUR NAME AND YOUR ELECTION DISTRICT WHEN YOU SPEAK. OKAY? ALSO, DO NOT START SPEAKING UNTIL THE COUNTDOWN STARTS. ALL RIGHT? AND ALSO TOO, WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING, YOU'RE SPEAKING TO US, YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING TO THE CROWD, YOU ARE ALSO MORE THAN WELCOME TO ADJUST THE MICROPHONE. PLEASE SPEAK INTO IT. I WANT WE WANT EVERYBODY HERE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR EVERYBODY, OKAY? IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ONCE AGAIN MORE THAN WELCOME TO APPROACH ON THAT SIDE OF THE STAGE. I WILL COME ADDRESS YOU AS WE NEED. ALL RIGHT, ARE WE GOING? NO. MY NAME IS TOM MCFADDEN JR. I'M FROM SHENANDOAH DISTRICT AND I'VE BEEN A 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY. I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE ECONOMIC SUCCESS OF THIS COUNTY AS WELL AS PROTECTING ITS NATURAL RESOURCE. MR. MCFADDEN, COULD YOU GIMME JUST ONE SECOND? YES MA'AM. I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR FULL THREE MINUTES. AND TO THAT END, I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. ONE OF THE REASONS PEOPLE CHOOSE WARREN COUNTY IS BECAUSE OF OUR MOUNTAINS, OUR FARMLAND, OUR PEACEFUL COMMUNITIES, AND THE RURAL CHARACTER THAT MAKES THIS PLACE SO SPECIAL. ONCE THAT CHARACTER IS LOST, WE CAN'T GET IT BACK. I SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT NOT ALL GROWTH IS GOOD GROWTH. WE SHOULD PURSUE BUSINESSES THAT CREATE LASTING JOBS, SUPPORT LOCAL FAMILIES, AND FIT THE CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY, NOT FACILITIES THAT CONSUME ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF LAND, ELECTRICITY, AND WATER WHILE PERMANENTLY CHANGING OUR LANDSCAPE. WHILE ONE LANDOWNER MAY BENEFIT FROM SELLING PROPERTY FOR A DATA CENTER, NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES. THEY DIDN'T CHOOSE TO LIVE NEXT TO THE MASSIVE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND THEIR INVESTMENT IN THEIR HOMES AND QUALITY OF LIFE DESERVE CONSIDERATION AS WELL. THIS ISN'T A DECISION FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. IT'S A DECISION THAT WILL SHAPE WARREN COUNTY FOR THE NEXT 50. WE ARE ONLY TEMPORARY STEWARDS OF THIS COUNTY, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAVE IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION, AT LEAST AS BEAUTIFUL AND LIVABLE AS WE FOUND IT. YOU HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH PROTECTING THE FUTURE OF WARREN COUNTY TONIGHT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO PROTECT WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE WORTH CALLING HOME. PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. MY NAME IS AILEEN DERICH AND I RESIDE IN THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. I'M FROM WARREN COUNTY AND I HAVE LIVED IN THE BEAUTIFUL SHENANDOAH VALLEY FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE. ON THE LANDS OF THE MANACA, MINHO AND SHAWNEE PEOPLES WHO ARE THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE PEOPLES OF THIS LAND, IT SEEMS CLEARER TO ME NOW MORE THAN EVER THAT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS LAND ARE TO WHOM THE STEWARDSHIP CARE AND SOVEREIGNTY OF THE LAND SHOULD BE RETURNED. THEY UNDENIABLY HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO LIVE RECIPROCALLY AND IN TANDEM WITH THE LAND, WATER, AND LIVING BEINGS HERE. TOO MANY SEE THE LAND IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS A WAY TO MAKE A PROFIT AND REFUSE TO SEE THAT WE NEED THESE CRITICAL NATURAL SPACES AND WATER TO SURVIVE. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE MASSIVE DATA CENTERS ALONE WILL KILL AND DISRUPT NECESSARY MYCELIUM, FUNGAL NETWORKS AND OUR SOIL. A RECENT STUDY MAPPING THOSE GLOBAL FUNGAL NETWORKS SHOWS THAT THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING STRONGHOLDS IN THIS [00:30:01] COUNTRY OF THE GLOBAL FUNGAL NETWORK IN OUR SOIL ON WHICH WE RELY TO GROW FOOD AND OUR WHOLE ECOSYSTEM RELIES ON TO SURVIVE. THEN THERE'S THE CHEMICAL LIGHT, NOISE AND WATER POLLUTION CAUSED BY DATA CENTERS THAT THREATENS OUR LIVES. AND I DO LITERALLY MEAN THAT THESE DATA CENTERS ARE A THREAT TO OUR LIVES. OUR COMMUNITY IS ALREADY STRAINED BY THE DROUGHT AND WE SHOULD FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THE WATER CRISIS INSTEAD OF WHATEVER. THIS IS NOT TO MENTION THAT THE EMPTY PROMISES OF PROFIT JOBS AND TAX REVENUE ARE NOTHING SHORT OF A SCAM. THE ONLY BENEFIT IN THESE PROPOSALS THAT COULD BE SEEN IS BY THE CORPORATIONS WHO WISH TO EXPLOIT US. AS FOR RUSH MARKS STATEMENTS TONIGHT, YOU CAN TRY TO SPIN IT HOWEVER YOU LIKE. YOU CAN TRY TO WRAP IT UP AS PRETTY AS YOU WANT. WE DO NOT WANT DATA CENTERS $2.4 MILLION AS PITIFUL IN THE FACE OF THE IMPACT ONLY DATA CENTERS WOULD HAVE. I NOTICED HOW YOU DIDN'T ADDRESS THE CHEMICAL OR LIGHT POLLUTION, AND I ESPECIALLY NOTICED HOW YOU DIDN'T ASK US THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY. WE DON'T WANT DATA CENTERS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT FLOCK CAMERAS, WHICH VIOLATE OUR RIGHTS AND EXISTS HERE IN WARREN COUNTY, ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS DATA CENTER ISSUE. AND THAT'S THE NEXT THING THAT WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY FROM FLOCK. CAMERAS NEED THOSE DATA CENTERS TO OPERATE THOSE, THEIR AI TOOLS OF MASS SURVEILLANCE. THESE DATA CENTER PROPOSALS ARE A THREAT TO OUR LIVES. WE DO NOT WANT ANY DATA CENTERS HERE. THEY SHOULDN'T EXIST ANYWHERE. AND WE ARE SAYING NO DATA CENTERS. COME ON. GOT IT. HI, RICH LANCASTER FORK DISTRICT. UM, SO I'VE LIVED IN THIS TOWN FOR OVER A DECADE. I'M A HUSBAND. I'M A I'M A FATHER OF SIX CHILDREN. THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT. THEY'RE THANKFULLY BEING QUIET. AND, UH, WE'RE ING YOU TO DO TONIGHT WHAT IS RIGHT TO STAND BY THE CLEAR CONSENSUS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT YOU WORK FOR. AS YOU KNOW, DATA CENTERS ARE CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED, IS NOT AN ALLOWED, UH, USE OF LAND IN WARREN COUNTY. SO WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED BY, UH, RUSH MARK AND OTHERS IS A NEW AND UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL HOME. JUST AN ASIDE, UM, I THINK ADDING WINDOWS TO DATA CENTERS IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT. NOT, UH, IF THAT'S THE BEST THEY CAN DO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UM, I AGREE WITH NEARLY EVERYONE IN FRONT ROYAL WITH THE CONCERNS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR AD NAUSEUM TONIGHT. INCREASED POWER, DEMAND, SUBSTANTIAL WATER USE AND ARE ALREADY DROUGHT RIDDEN, COUNTY LEGITIMATE NOISE CONCERNS AND ALSO A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO THE RURAL IDENTITY AND CHARACTER OF OUR COUNTY. AND I'LL JUST SAY WE ALL KIND OF KNOW IT. THE, UM, UH, THE FIRST DATA CENTERS WILL PROBABLY BE THE, UH, THE EASY TO GET IN. THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE AS LOUD, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE AS BIG, BUT IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE AND WE KNOW THAT. SO, UH, IF ANYONE TELLS YOU ALSO THAT THERE'S NO ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS TO THESE DATA CENTERS, THEY'RE PROBABLY SPEAKING WITH THEIR WALLETS. THAT'S MY OPINION. BUT MOST OF ALL, THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST ONE OR TWO DATA CENTERS. WE ALL KNOW THAT ONCE THEY START, IT'S NOT GONNA, IT'S NOT GONNA END. AND OUR COUNTRYSIDE IS GONNA BE CHANGED FOREVER. SO AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, I WORK OUT OF AN OFFICE IN LOUDOUN COUNTY DATA CENTER ALLEY. IT IS A BLEAK, SOULLESS AREA. UM, I DON'T WANT THAT FOR US HERE. AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE INDIFFERENT OR BE KIND OF OPEN TO DATA CENTERS MAYBE HAVEN'T GONE OUT THERE AND SEEN WHAT IT'S LIKE IN REAL LIFE. IT IS, UH, KIND OF DEPRESSING TO DRIVE THROUGH. SO TODAY IT'S A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR YOU TO DO YOUR JOBS AND TO TAKE A STAND FROM WHAT MAKES WARREN COUNTY AND FRONT ROYAL A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND TO RAISE A FAMILY, UH, AS I KNOW FULL WELL. SO IF YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN, IT CAN'T BE UNDONE. REVENUE CANNOT BE AN EXCUSE FOR DATA CENTERS. THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GENERATE FUNDING FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT IT. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. IF YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS ANYTHING BUT A HARD NO TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU WILL HAVE DONE A DISSERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. SORRY. UM, HI. I AGREE WITH HIM. THAT'S MY HUSBAND. MY NAME IS KATIE LANCASTER. I'M FROM THE FORK DISTRICT. I'M HERE TODAY WITH ALL MY CHILDREN. JUST TO SHOW YOU ONE OF THE MANY WARREN COUNTY FAMILIES THAT WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THESE PROPOSED DATA CENTERS. MY CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL NEAR THE PROPOSED ROCKLAND SITE. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF HAVING A DATA CENTER NEARBY. AS DATA CENTERS ARE STILL RELATIVELY NEW, THEIR IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH IN THE ENVIRONMENT [00:35:01] IS STILL UNFOLDING. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE EFFECTS THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT ARE NOT GOOD. THE NOISE POLLUTION STRAIN ON ENERGY, THE DRAINING OF WATER RESOURCES ON NEITHER POSITIVE NOR GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITIES WHERE DATA CENTERS ALREADY EXIST. I URGE YOU AND IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE NO TO ANY AND ALL PROPOSED DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MARK EGGER FORK DISTRICT. IT IS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE. BUT I'M STILL HEARING THAT SOME OFFICIALS AND STAFF IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT LOCALITIES DO NOT HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO NOT PERMIT OR TO PROHIBIT A USE IN THE LOCAL ZONING ORDINANCE. THE NOTION THAT SINCE DATA CENTERS ARE CURRENTLY NOT PERMITTED BY RIGHT, THE COUNTY WILL BE SUED AND LOSE IN COURT. AND THAT THEREFORE THE BEST WE CAN DO IS PERMIT DATA CENTERS BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS COMPLETE NONSENSE. SO HERE IT IS AGAIN. STATE CODE 15.2 2280, QUOTE, ANY LOCALITY MAY BY ORDINANCE CLASSIFY THE TERRITORY UNDER ITS JURISDICTION OR ANY SUBSTANTIAL PORTION THEREOF INTO DISTRICTS OF SUCH NUMBERS, SHAPE AND SIZE, AS IT MAY DEEM BEST SUITED TO CARRY OUT THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE. AND IN EACH DISTRICT, IT MAY REGULATE, RESTRICT, PERMIT, PROHIBIT, AND DETERMINE THE FOLLOWING, THE USE OF LAND BUILDING STRUCTURES AND OTHER PREMISES FOR AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS, INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL FLOODPLAIN, AND OTHER SPECIFIC USES. END QUOTE. I DON'T SEE HOW IT CAN BE MORE CLEAR THAN THAT. LOCALITIES ALREADY HAVE THE POWER GIVEN TO THEM BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE LAND USE, INCLUDING PROHIBITING A USE. THINK PLEASE. IF THE STATE HAD NOT GIVEN LOCALITIES THAT POWER, THEN THERE WOULD BE NO WARREN COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE AND YOU, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD NOT EXIST. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, ASK YOUR ATTORNEY. HERE'S THE QUESTION TO ASK HIM. IN CASE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. AS THE STATE GIVEN WARREN COUNTY THE POWER TO REGULATE LAND USE THROUGH ZONING ORDINANCES, INCLUDING PROHIBITING A USE, I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT AND FORWARD IT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SHOULD THEN FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL AND PUT INTO MOTION A NEW ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT THAT CLEARLY DEFINES AND PROHIBITS DATA CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY'S JURISDICTION. THIS IS REALLY SIMPLE. IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, NOR IS IT BRAIN SURGERY. IT'S REALLY SIMPLE. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. I, UH, MY NAME'S JAY WHITLEY. I LIVE IN HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. UM, I'LL START OFF WITH, UH, STRONGLY URGE YOU TO PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED OR EXCHANGE. UM, I MOVED TO WARREN COUNTY FOR THE NATURAL BEAUTY, CLEAN AIR, PEACE, AND QUIET. I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT STAY THAT WAY. UM, I WORKED FOR DOMINION ENERGY FOR 38 YEARS AND I RETIRED AND MOVED HERE. AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE POWER OF DEMAND. UM, UH, I'M, I GUESS YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ROLLING BLACKOUTS AND THAT THOSE HAPPENED DURING THE, UH, HOTTEST DAYS OF THE YEAR AND THE COLDEST DAYS OF THE YEAR. AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD SUFFER FROM THAT IF THEY HAD TO IMPLEMENT ROLLING BLACKOUTS. UM, THE GENERATORS FOR THE, FOR THE DATA CENTERS, THERE'RE AS BIG AS SCHOOL BUSES AND THERE'S MANY OF THEM, MULTIPLE GENERATORS. THE NOISE LEVEL, UM, I DON'T CARE HOW BIG THE BUFFER STRIP IS, IT DOESN'T STOP THE NOISE FROM GOING UP AND OUT. UM, AND IT, AND THEY RUN 24 7. THE, THE DATA CENTERS DO. THE GENERATORS WOULD BE USED FOR MORE THAN JUST POWER OUTAGES. THEY WOULD BE USED FOR, UH, PEAK TIMES WHEN THE, UH, FIRE COMPANY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE ELECTRICAL DEMAND. UM, WATER USAGE. THAT'S A CONCERN FROM ME AS WELL AS EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM. UM, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE. DENY THE, UH, ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS THERESA SMYTHE. I'M IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. I WAS AT ONE OF THE TOWN, UH, MEETING THAT WAS FIVE HOURS. I SAT THROUGH ALL OF IT AND I LISTENED TO EVERYTHING. I HAVE COME TO MY OWN CONCLUSION THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD'VE WANTED TO CROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE. SO I WANNA PROTECT MY NEIGHBORS THAT IT MIGHT BE NEAR THEIR HOUSE. I ALSO WANNA SHARE A STORY. [00:40:01] ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I HAD A CONTRACT ON A LAND IN WARREN COUNTY. AND THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED ME FROM BUYING THIS LAND WITH A MILLION DOLLAR VIEW WAS BECAUSE OF AN ORDINANCE. MY, THE PERSON WHO WAS TRYING TO SELL IT COULDN'T SUBDIVIDE THE LAND BECAUSE OF THIS ORDINANCE. AND I WANNA SHARE WHAT I WANTED TO DO ON THAT LAND FOR A SPECIFIC REASON. I WENT TO THE PEOPLE IN WARREN COUNTY AND I SHARED THIS STORY AND I SAID, THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO DO IT. BUT UP WHERE THE LAND WAS, WAS A POOL BARN AND IT WAS QUITE LARGE. AND ONE OF MY GOALS IS TO CREATE COMMUNITY. I WANT IT FOR MYSELF. I WANT IT FOR MY DAUGHTER. SO I HAD THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY SUNDAYS WHERE I WANTED TO HAVE AN ENTIRE LONG TABLE AND INVITE EVERYBODY BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE NEIGHBORS AGAIN AND GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AGAIN. AND I WAS DENIED THAT OPPORTUNITY LITERALLY BECAUSE OF ONE ORDINANCE. AND I HAD TO CHANGE, CHANGE COURSE AND CHANGE WHAT I WAS DOING. I HAD SIX MONTHS WHERE I WAS DREAMING ABOUT THAT LAND AND DREAMING ABOUT WHAT TO BUILD ON IT. AND WHAT I REALLY WANTED WAS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER. WELL, I WAS FORTUNATE TO FIND A HOUSE THAT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SOCCER PLEX, EVEN BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE DREAMED, BECAUSE THE FIELD IS RIGHT THERE AND PEOPLE COME TO IT. SO NOW I HAVE NEW IDEAS AND I WANT KIDS TO COME AND TAKE BALLS AND JUMP ROPES OUTTA MY GARAGE AND PLAY AGAIN. I WANT TO KEEP THIS AS A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE FROM NORTHERN VIRGINIA CHOOSE TO COME HERE BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT. I HAVE IDEAS, I HAVE TONS OF IDEAS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ARE POSSIBLE AND WHAT'S NOT. BUT ONE OF MY IDEAS IS WHY DON'T WE RENT OUT THE LAND? AND EVERYBODY COULD HAVE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, A 12 BY 12 SPACE. AND THEN WE HAVE GARDEN WATCHERS WHO LIKE HELP FIX THE GARDENS AND THAT WOULD BRING PEOPLE FROM NORTHERN VIRGINIA OUT HERE. BUT IF WE, WE HAVE THE CHANCE FROM THE LOUDOUN COUNTY AND FROM GAINESVILLE, PEOPLE WANNA GET AWAY FROM THAT. THEY WANNA COME TO US. SO LET'S KEEP IT A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME. AND ALSO, IF Y'ALL WANNA HAVE LIKE COMMUNITY SUNDAYS, I'M CLOSE TO THE SOCCER PLEX. I'M AWARE THAT THERE'S A FIRE PIT BY MY HOUSE. PLEASE COME BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE DECIDE TO TALK TOGETHER ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO. IF WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THIS MONEY IN BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORTH IT, LET'S BE CLEAR. OUR WATER IS MORE VALUABLE. OUR TI OUR OUR EARS ARE MORE VALUABLE. OUR HEALTH IS MORE VALUABLE. PLEASE LET US CREATE THE WORLD THAT WE WANNA CREATE. BUT IF THESE COME IN, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING VERY DIFFERENT DECISIONS. IF THE DATA CENTER HAD COME ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE, I WOULD'VE HAD TO SELL. I WOULD'VE MOVED. AND I, I HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO LAND AND TO MAKE THIS MY HOME. SO I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS BE MY HOME AND MY NEIGHBORS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR HOUSES BE THEIR HOMES AND THEIR VALUES. DON'T GO DOWN. THINK ABOUT ME WHEN YOU GUYS ARE MAKING THE VOTE. I REALLY, REALLY WANT TO MAKE A FRONT ROYAL A BETTER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. CAN YOU GIMME JUST ONE SECOND, JUST AS A NOTE TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, COULD YOU MAKE AN E EFFORT TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE? THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN TOLD TO TALK SOFTER. UH, TALK LOUDER EVER. MY NAME'S REBECCA BEAR. I LIVE IN SOUTH RIVER. I HAVE, UH, MADE BENTONVILLE MY FULL-TIME HOME SINCE 2014. THAT WAS WHEN MY COUNCIL TERM IN THE TOWN OF HAY MARKET WAS UP. PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN HAY MARKET. I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS. CURRENTLY I WORK AS CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE GAINESVILLE DISTRICT SUPERVISOR IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY. I WORKED FOR THE LATE BOB WEIR AND I WORK FOR THE CURRENT SUPERVISOR GEORGE STEWART. PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY. GOT LUCKY. THE LAST SEVEN DAYS WE'VE HAD TWO VICTORIES. QTS BLACKSTONE PULLED OUT OF THE SUPREME COURT CASE. THE DIGITAL GATEWAY IS NOW GONE. IT WAS THE LARGEST DATA CENTER CAMPUS THOUGHT OF UNTIL SOMEONE SAID, HOLD MY BEER. AND DULLES SOUTH CAME FORWARD AT TWICE THE SIZE LAST NIGHT, UNANIMOUSLY EIGHT TO ZERO. THE PRINCIP WILLIAM BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DENIED INITIATING THE CPA. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CHAIRMAN FOR, UH, MAKING IT CLEAR WE WERE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ZTA BECAUSE THE GENTLEMAN FROM RUSH MARK, A GREAT SALESMAN MIND YOU GOT UP AND SPOKE TO HIS REZONING, NOT ONE WORD ON THE THOUSAND DOLLARS ZTA HE PAID TO BRING FORWARD. THIS IS NOT A RESTRICTIVE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT. THIS IS A BILLBOARD TO THE DATA INDUSTRY THAT WARREN COUNTY IS FOR SALE. THIS IS NOT RESTRICTIVE. OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE [00:45:01] GOING TO 300, 400, 500, A THOUSAND FEET BUFFERS. WE'RE GETTING 125. GEE, THAT'S SO GENEROUS. OUR GRID CANNOT HANDLE ANYMORE. PJM, WE ARE IN CRISIS. DOMINION IS RUNNING LINE AFTER LINE, AFTER LINE AFTER LINE TRYING TO CATCH UP BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT TO GET FINED BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PROMISE EVERYONE POWER AND NOW THEY CAN'T DELIVER. THEY ARE THE SAME GRID WE ARE. WE ARE THE MIDATLANTIC GRID. THERE'S ALWAYS A TRADE OFF. IF THEY'RE GONNA USE LESS WATER, THEY'RE GONNA USE MORE POWER. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCE. WE ARE PROTECTED NOW. WE DON'T ALLOW IT. SO I AM ASKING YOU AS SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN IN YOUR POSITIONS, SEND THIS FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL. THIS DOES NOTHING TO PROTECT WARREN COUNTY, LISA DAVIS, SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. UH, I'M ONLY NUMBER NINE, BUT YOU'LL HEAR REPEATEDLY ABOUT WATER AND ELECTRICITY ISSUES TONIGHT. DON'T IGNORE IT BECAUSE IT'S REPEATED. TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION. AND IT'S NOT JUST INCONSEQUENTIAL, INCONSEQUENTIAL INFORMATION, IT'S FACTS. REPETITION MEANS THAT THE ISSUE IS A CRUCIAL POINT SUPPORTING A VOTE OPPOSED TO THIS AMENDMENT. SO LET'S ALSO TAKE ANOTHER RECENT HISTORY, CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF HOW YOUR DECISION WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY. LET'S LOOK AT LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA. THE COUNTY WITH THE MOST DATA CENTERS PER CAPITA GLOBALLY. LOUDOUN COUNTY RECENTLY TOLD THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO TURN OFF CLASSROOM LIGHTS DURING THE DAY TO CONSERVE ELECTRICITY FOR THE DATA CENTERS. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MISALIGNED PRIORITY. IT WOULD BE A LAPSE IN JUDGMENT WHERE THE ZONING COMMISSION TO PROCEED WITH THE CURRENT AMENDMENT AS IT WAS EDITED AND WRITTEN BY A COMPANY WITH DIRECT FAN FINANCIAL INTEREST. FRONT ROYAL PART OF WARREN COUNTY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THE AVTEC ENVIRONMENTAL SCANDAL. WHY AMEND THE CURRENT COUNTY ZONING TEXT WRITTEN BY A PARTIAL THIRD PARTY TO ALLOW THE BUILD OF DATA CENTERS THAT HAVE THE LATENT CAPABILITY OF BEING THE NEW ENVIRONMENTALLY TOXIC POWERHOUSES? IT IS OUR CIVIC AND MORAL DUTY TO NOT LET THE PRESSURE OF A COMPANY LIKE MUSH RUSH MARK BLIND US TO HONEST AND THOROUGH RESEARCH ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS DATA CENTERS HAVE IN THE AREA. PART OF THAT NECESSARILY MEANS NOT ALLOWING AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD ALLOW DATA CENTERS UNTIL UNBIASED FACTS AND SURVEYS ARE COMPLETED ON ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. THAT TAKES TIME. THIS AMENDMENT WILL NOT GIVE THE COUNTY A PRUDENTIAL LOOK ON POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT. DATA CENTERS CAUSE UTILITY RATES TO SPIKE FOR EVERYDAY CONSUMERS. THAT POTTER LOAN SHOULD CAUSE YOU TO REJECT APPROVING AND ANY DATA CENTER APPROVAL AMENDMENTS WARREN, WARREN COUNTY GOVERNMENT SERVES THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD YET ANOTHER INCREASE IN THE COST OF LIVING. THE GENTLEMAN, JU THAT JUST SPOKE REPRESENTING RUSH MARK DID NOT ADDRESS HOW THEIR SYSTEM WOULD TAX THE ELECTRICITY ONLY THAT GENERATORS WOULD RUN WHEN WE ARE TAXED. BUT THAT DOESN'T AT ALL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HOW FREQUENTLY THAT WOULD BE. AND AGAIN, THAT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. THE SO-CALLED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM DATA CENTERS PLAYS OUT VERY LITTLE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL. THERE ARE SOME TAX REVENUE, BUT THAT IS REDUCED BECAUSE OF TAX BREAK POLICIES. THAT MONEY IS HANDED BACK TO THE DATA CENTER INDUSTRY INSTEAD OF INTO PUBLIC FUNDS. OBVIOUS POLICY BEFORE APPROVING AMENDMENTS IS REPEALING TAX BREAKS FOR THESE DEVELOPERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IF YOU GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT, MR. DAVIS, CAN I HAVE NUMBERS? 11 THROUGH 19 LINE UP BEHIND MR. DAVIS HERE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S HARRY DAVIS. I'M AT ONE 10 NI SQUARE, LESS THAN A MILE AWAY FROM THE PROPOSED DATA CENTER SITES. UM, I CAME UP HERE, I WAS GONNA HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT SPEECH FOR YOU GUYS, BUT AFTER HEARING WHAT, UH, THE GUYS FROM RUSH MARKET TALKED ABOUT, I'M ASKING EVERYBODY DON'T BUY THE SNAKE OIL. 'CAUSE I'VE SEEN THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THE MONEY, THEY PROMISE OUR LIVES, OUR COMMUNITY ARE WORTH MORE THAN OVER $2 MILLION. THE, UH, PROPERTY FROM WHAT HE WAS SAYING WAS ALREADY ZONED AS COMMERCIAL AND NOW THEY WANT TO GO INTO INDUSTRIAL. SO WE [00:50:01] HAD ALREADY PLANNED TO HAVE, UH, SITES FOR, UH, WAREHOUSING AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. THEY SAY THAT'S NOT LUCRATIVE ENOUGH. SO THEY WANT TO GO INTO DATA CENTERS. IT'S THE COMMON BAIT AND SWITCH. JUST LIKE AMAZON HAD DONE DOWN IN, UH, LAKE ANNA, THEY WENT TO A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM OF COOLING. NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WANNA WASH ALL THEIR WATER AND RUN IT RIGHT INTO THE LAKE. SO TIME AND TIME AGAIN, DATA CENTERS, THEY HAVE A SNEAKY WAY OF SLIPPING IN AND THEN WANT TO CHANGE THE RULES ON EVERYBODY. SO I URGE EVERYBODY DON'T BUY THE SNAKE OIL. LET'S KEEP PEACE AND HARMONY IN OUR COMMUNITY LIKE IT SHOULD BE. THANK YOU. YEAH. HI, I AM DAVE WINNINGHAM, UH, LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, I HAVE TO HAND IT TO MR. DAN FROM RUSH MARK BECAUSE I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR, AND I'M SURE HE REALIZED IT WHEN HE WALKED IN HERE, THAT HE WAS HEADING INTO A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, THAT HE WAS PROBABLY GONNA BE THE ONE OUT OF EVERY, ALL THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE THAT WAS GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE SITUATION THE WAY THAT HE'S LOOKING AT IT. HONESTLY, I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THOUGH. HOWEVER, IF HE ACTUALLY BELIEVES ANYTHING THAT HE ACTUALLY SAID. OKAY. WHEN YOU, UH, LOOK AT THE EXAMPLES OF OTHER AREAS, LOUDOUN COUNTY AND OTHER PLACES, NOT ONLY JUST IN VIRGINIA, BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE DATA CENTERS. AND YOU LOOK AT THOSE AREAS, UM, THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD EXAMPLES OF JUST CATASTROPHES IN THOSE AREAS, WHETHER IT BE DUE TO NOISE POLLUTION, UH, DECREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES, UH, HIGHER ELECTRICAL BILLS, HIGHER WATER USAGE, ALL OF THAT STUFF. AND THEN YOU START TO SEE THAT THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT WHATEVER IS BEING PROPOSED HERE WITH MR. DAN FROM RUSH MARK AND SAY, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. AND I THINK THAT, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD HAS BEEN ON, ON TOP OF THIS ISSUE FOR SO LONG. YOU'VE SEEN ALL THE EXAMPLES, YOU'VE SEEN EVERYTHING. I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU, BUT I JUST ALSO WANNA GIVE YOU A PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF MYSELF. MY WIFE AND I MOVED, UH, OUR FAMILY, UH, WE LIVED IN HAWAII FOR A YEAR, LIVED HERE, MOVED HERE IN 2017. AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCE THAT CAME, YOU KNOW, IT WAS COMING FROM HAWAII TO FRONT ROYAL. UM, AT FIRST IT WAS A KIND OF A SHOCK LOOKING AROUND, BUT I HAVE TO SAY SINCE 2017 TO NOW, I MEAN WE'VE GROWN TO REALLY APPRECIATE THE AREA, REALLY APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY THAT IT OFFERS. REALLY APPRECIATE. I WORK UP IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND I WORK UP IN ALL THAT CRAZY NONSENSE EVERY DAY. COME DOWN HERE TO GET AWAY. I COULD LIVE UP CLOSE TO THE CITY, BUT I CHOOSE NOT TO. WE CHOOSE NOT TO BECAUSE WE WANNA LIVE CLOSER TO WHERE WE, I DON'T HAVE TO LIVE UP IN THE NONSENSE UP THERE. I SEE THE DATA CENTERS UP THERE, I SEE ALL OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND ALL THE CRAZINESS, AND I'D RATHER LIVE DOWN HERE WHERE I CAN GET AWAY FROM ALL OF THAT. NOW WE PUT IN DATA CENTERS AND YOU START ONE, YOU'RE GONNA GET MORE OBVIOUSLY. I MEAN, I'M, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE POINT WAS INITIALLY WHERE WELL, WE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE ALL THESE, UH, RESTRICTIONS. YOU PUT ONE IN, WE CAN RESTRICT HAVING MORE IN. WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. OKAY. UM, SO WE APPRECIATE THE WAY THAT WE LIVE. WE APPRECIATE IT. WE ALSO WANNA, I BOUGHT MY HOUSE IN 2021 WHERE WE LIVE CURRENTLY. I DON'T WANNA GO HOME AND THEN FIND OUT. THEY BUILD A DATA CENTER. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW, UM, MY PROPERTY VALUES DECREASED. MY ELECTRIC BILLS GO UP, MY WATER BILLS GO UP, NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT ALSO FOR MY NEIGHBORS IN THE SAME SUBDIVISION, SAME COMMUNITY, AND AROUND THE ENTIRE TOWN AND THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO AGAIN, I WANT TO, UM, RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. I'M PATRICK PATTON, UH, FROM THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. UH, I, I'M TOTALLY AGAINST DATA CENTERS AND ANY CORPORATION WHOSE MAJOR ENERGY SOURCE IS GROUNDWATER OR MUNICIPAL WATER CONNECTIONS. I SAY THIS BECAUSE IN THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TITLED, PROTECTING WARREN COUNTY'S GROUNDWATER PROVIDED BY DR. JAMESON, WARREN COUNTY'S GROUNDWATER PROTECTION ORDINANCE. ORDINANCE ALLOWS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT USING MUNICIPAL WATER CONNECTIONS. AS MANY RESIDENTS HAVE MENTIONED THIS, USING GROUNDWATER DEPLETES OUR WELLS AND REDUCES THE CAPACITY OF OUR AQUIFERS. HOWEVER, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES THESE DATA DATA CENTERS HAVE IS TO USE MUNICIPAL WATER SOURCES CONNECTION. IF A DATA CENTER IS AUTHORIZED TO USE MUNICIPAL WATER CONNECTIONS, THEY WILL STILL CAUSE WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS TO LOSE WATER RESOURCES. [00:55:01] AN EXAMPLE IS THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYALS MUNICIPAL WATER PLANT DRAWS ITS WATER FROM THREE MAIN SURFACE WATER SOURCES. THE SOUTH FORK OF THE SHENANDOAH RIVER, HAPPY CREEK AND SLOANE CREEK ALLOWING THESE BUSINESSES TO USE THESE RESOURCES WILL MOST LIKELY RESULT IN NOT ONLY OUR WELLS RUNNING DRY, BUT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE ENTIRE CITY WILL BE DRY AND ON WATER RESTRICTION DUE TO THE WASTEFUL USE OF WATER FROM THESE DATA CENTERS. ADDITIONALLY, THOSE USING CITY WATER WILL NOT ONLY SEE THEIR WATER BILLS INCREASING, BUT THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS AS WELL. AND I DID HAVE ONE OTHER THING THAT'S NOT ON THERE. UM, THE TAX REVENUE THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT TO ME, I HAVE RESEARCHED DATA CENTERS THAT ARE LARGE DATA CENTERS. THE AMOUNT OF, OF EMPLOYMENT IS ONLY LIKE 34 PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY WORK IN THE DATA CENTER AS OPPOSED TO THE, THE $2.4 MILLION HE'S TALKING ABOUT THAT 2.4 MILLION IS PROBABLY INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT UNIT. SO WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY DON'T HAVE THAT. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I I PLEASE REQUEST THAT YOU DENY THE USE OF THE DATA CENTER. IT DOESN'T GO MORE, HUH? MY NAME IS STEVEN PILON. I'M LIVING IN THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. MY WIFE AND I HAVE RAISED OUR NINE CHILDREN THERE. WE'VE LIVED HERE FOR 35 YEARS. I'VE WORKED IN THE COUNTY FOR ALL THOSE YEARS. I ALSO HAVE MY OWN BUSINESS THAT I'VE HAD HERE FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS NOW. UM, I LOVE MY TOWN. I'M SURE YOU DO TOO, AND I I HOPE WE CAN KEEP IT AS A LOVELY TOWN. AN ARTICLE IN YESTERDAY'S NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY TALKED ABOUT HOW VIRGINIA BECAME THE DATA CENTER CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES AND ALSO OF THE WORLD. IT STATED THAT NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO, UH, IT STARTED NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO WITH A OL AND OTHERS WHO SAW THE ADVANTAGE OF, OF SETTING UP NEAR THE GOVERNMENT IN DC AND ALSO THE MANY GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS THAT WOULD BE IN THE AREA, UH, AT THE TIME, WESTERN ASHBURN AND OTHER AREAS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY. AND PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, UH, HAD AMPLE OPEN LAND THAT, AS THEY PUT IN THE ARTICLE, WAS IDEAL FOR THESE COMPANIES. UH, FAST FORWARD 30 YEARS, THOSE THE AREAS WHERE THE DATA CENTERS HAVE QUOTE UNQUOTE GROWN, ARE CROWDED, NOISY AND MANY WHO LIVED THERE, I'M SURE WISH THAT THE DATA CENTERS HAD NEVER COME. MEANWHILE, BIG COMPANIES ARE PAYING TOP DOLLAR FOR LAND IN DESIRABLE AREAS TO BUILD MORE AND OFTEN BIGGER CENTERS. UH, I SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL LISTING THE MY CONCERNS. I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO EVERY NOTE THAT I HAD THERE. UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, HAVE YOU THINK ABOUT 30 YEARS FROM TODAY AND WHAT WARREN COUNTY COULD OR WILL LOOK LIKE IF WE HAVE DATA CENTERS. UM, ACTUALLY YOU DON'T REALLY NEED TO JUST GO OUT TO ANOTHER VIRGINIA AND LOOK AND YOU'LL SEE, UM, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GO OUT TO RUN ANOTHER VIRGINIA AND YOU CAN'T HELP SEEING THE DATA CENTERS. WELL, I, YOU GO OUT TO ANOTHER VIRGINIA AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING BESIDES DATA CENTERS. LAST TIME I DROVE TO DULLES AIRPORT, I WAS LIKE, HOLY COW, WHERE DID ALL THESE THINGS COME FROM? I, THEY JUST, I MEAN, THEY'RE LITERALLY GROWING OVERNIGHT. IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE RIDICULOUS. UM, THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF OUR AREA IS ONE OF OUR GREATEST, IF NOT OUR GREATEST ASSET DATA CENTERS DON'T STOP WITH DATA CENTERS. UM, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR THEM, UH, AND THE BUSINESSES THAT WILL GROW UP AROUND THEM, UH, IF WE PUT MORE AND MORE WILL BE DRAWN LIKE FLIES TO HONEY. UM, AND WHAT WILL THIS DO TO OUR TOURIST ECONOMY? WE LOVE OUR AREA BEING THE GATEWAY TO THE SKYLINE DRIVE. WE MAY COMPLAIN ABOUT LEAF PEOPLES, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ALL DO IT IN JEST, MOSTLY . UM, BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO BECOME THE GATEWAY TO AI, UH, IN, IN THE DATA CENTERS. UH, WHEN THE KING AND QUEEN OF ENGLAND CAME HERE, THEY DID NOT COME BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, CAN YOU SHOW US WHERE THOSE DATA CENTERS ARE GONNA BE? THEY CAME BECAUSE WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL LAND, WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY THINK LOVE, THAT WE LOVE, THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOVED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND WE HOPE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO COME AND ENJOY AND APPRECIATE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. PLEASE DO NOT SELL OFF THE BEAUTY OF OUR AREA. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING THE, THE MONEY PART, BUT YOUR RECOMMENDATION WILL HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE COUNTY BOARD WILL TALK, WILL MAKE A DECISION ON, UH, AS YOU CONSIDER THE ASPECTS. OH, SORRY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SIR. THAT 24 SECONDS. I'M GONNA NEED MORE THAN THAT. I DON'T WANT IT DEPRIVE YOU BEING FULL THREE MINUTES. JUST TRYING TO MOVE THE MEETING ALONG, SIR . I COULD FIND MORE INTERESTING WAYS TO DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. MY NAME'S PAUL RE, SOUTH RIVER. [01:00:01] UH, TONIGHT'S DECISION IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER TECHNOLOGY IS GOOD OR BAD. IT IS ABOUT WHETHER THIS APPLICATION HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT REZONING THIS PROPERTY FOR A HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND SERVES THE BEST INTEREST OF WARREN COUNTY. NO ONE IS ENTITLED TO A REZONING. IT IS A DISCRETIONARY DECISION THAT THE BURDEN OF PROOF OR, UM, I'M SORRY, THE BURDEN OF PROOF RESTS WITH THE APPLICANT. AFTER REVIEWING THIS APPLICATION, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT BURDEN HAS BEEN MET. RUSH MARK REPEATEDLY RELIES ON ASSUMPTIONS THAT MINIMIZE IMPACTS WHILE MAXIMIZING BENEFITS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE ESTIMATES FOR ELECTRICAL DEMAND ARE BASED ON THE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT FUTURE OPERATIONS RATHER THAN COMMITMENTS FROM IDENTIFIED TENANTS. RUSH MARK HAS NOT IDENTIFIED WHO WILL OCCUPY THESE BUILDINGS OR WHAT THE ACTUAL POWER REQUIREMENTS WILL BE. IF THOSE ASSUMPTIONS PROVE INACCURATE, THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION LINES, SUBSTATIONS AND ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE COULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN WHAT IS PRESENTED TODAY. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR WATER USAGE. THE APPLICATION ASSUMES CERTAIN COOLING TECHNOLOGIES THAT MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON FUTURE TENANTS. ONCE THIS PROPERTY IS REZONED, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT ACTUAL WATER DEMAND WILL REMAIN WITHIN TODAY'S PROJECTIONS, PLACING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON LOCAL WATER RESOURCES. THE NOISE ANALYSIS RAISES SIMILAR CONCERNS. IT RELIES ON MODELING ASSUMPTIONS RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THE APPLICATION STATES THAT EMERGENCY GENERATORS WILL HAVE NOISE ATTENUATING ENCLOSURES, BUT IT NEVER TELLS THIS COMMISSION THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT, HOW MANY DECIBELS THOSE ENCLOSURES ARE EXPECTED TO REDUCE. WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION, THERE IS NO MEANINGFUL WAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER A NEARBY WILL BE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED. THE APPLICATION ALSO PROMOTES OPTIMISTIC TAX REVENUE PROJECTIONS WHILE OFFERING NO BINDING COMMITMENTS REGARDING PERMANENT JOBS IDENTIFIED END USERS OR LONG-TERM OCCUPANCY. WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT PROJECTED TAX REVENUE IS JUST AT A PROJECTION. LOUDOUN COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, REPORTED AN APPROXIMATELY $60 MILLION SHORTFALL ON ANTICIPATED DATA CENTER TAX REVENUE BECAUSE TAX TAXABLE EQUIPMENT WAS INSTALLED MORE SLOWLY THAN PROJECTED. WARREN COUNTY SHOULD NOT MAKE A PERMANENT LAND USE DECISION BASED ON OPTIMISTIC ESTIMATES ALONE. SUPPORTERS MUST SAY AND RUSH MARK DID. IT'S ONLY ONE DATA CENTER, BUT WE'VE SEEN HOW THAT STORY UNFOLDS IN NEIGHBORING COUNTIES. ONE APPROVAL OFTEN BECOMES THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE NEXT. AS ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANDS, ADDITIONAL PROPOSALS BECOME EASIER TO SUPPORT. THIS COMMISSION IS NOT SIMPLY CONSIDERING ONE FACILITY THAT IS HELPING ESTABLISH A PRECEDENT THAT COULD SHAPE WARREN COUNTY FOR DECADES. THE PROMISED BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT ARE BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE NOT APPROVAL WILL PERMANENTLY CONVERT RURAL LAND INTO INDUSTRIAL, USE INCREASED DEMANDS ON PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS. ONCE THAT PATH IS CHOSEN, UM, IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT TO REVERSE. I RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS ADVISORY, BUT IT WILL BECOME AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE RECORD CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BECAUSE RUSH MARK HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED THE PUBLIC BENEFITS CLEARLY OUTWEIGH THE PERMANENT IMPACTS. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. OH, SORRY. I'M KAREN FALL FROM THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. I'VE LIVED IN, UH, VIRGINIA SINCE 1991 IN THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT SINCE 2014. I'VE RETIRED HERE, UM, AFTER 35 PLUS YEARS AS A SYSTEMS ENGINEER. UM, AND THE LAST 25 PLUS YEARS WITH I-B-M-I-I OPPOSE THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT, ADDING DATA CENTERS AS A USE IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. THIS ISN'T A DONE DEAL. IT'S THE DEAL THAT GETS US STARTED. DATA CENTERS AREN'T PERMITTED IN WARREN COUNTY TODAY. THIS TEXT AMENDMENT IS THE DOOR. ONCE WE OPEN IT COUNTYWIDE. BY ADDING DATA CENTER AS APPROVED, USE NUMBER 25, WE CANNOT CONTROL WHAT COMES THROUGH THROUGH IT. NEXT, EVERY FUTURE APPLICANT WILL POINT TO THIS APPROVAL AS PRECEDENT. THE FINANCIAL PROMISE ISN'T BINDING. THE APPLICANT'S OWN STATEMENT OF JUSTIFICATION SAYS THE COUNTY WOULD RECEIVE ROUGHLY 2.46 MILLION A YEAR. BUT IT ALSO PROPOSES A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES PROGRAM WHEREBY ANY TAX EXEMPT ENTITY LEASING THE SITE WOULD PAY IN LIEU OF PRO PROPERTY TAXES. THAT'S A PROPOSAL, NOT A LEGAL COMMITMENT IN THIS PERMIT. IF THE TENANT RESTRUCTURES OWNERSHIP TO CLAIM TAX EXEMPT STATUS WITHOUT EXECUTING A PILOT AGREEMENT THAT REVENUE COULD EVAPORATE WHILE WE'RE LEFT WITH THE BUILDINGS, THE SUBSTATION, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THE SITE ITSELF. THE APPLICANT DESCRIBES THIS LAND AS HAVING ONLY AVERAGE OR MODERATE CONSERVATION VALUE AND DOWNPLAYS THE IMPACT. BUT THAT DESCRIPTION CONVENIENTLY COMES AFTER THE PROPERTY WAS ALREADY SUBSTANTIALLY CLEAR CUT TO PREPARE FOR DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S NOT A NEUTRAL BEFORE AND AFTER COMPARISON. IT'S GRADING YOUR OWN HOMEWORK AFTER THE FACT. FINALLY, I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING ASKED OF YOU TONIGHT. DATA CENTERS ARE NOT A PERMITTED USE IN WARREN COUNTY TODAY. NOT BY RIGHT, NOT [01:05:01] BY SE, BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN ANY DISTRICT. THAT'S PRECISELY WHY THIS APPLICATION REQUIRES A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE TO ADD DATA CENTER AS NEW USE FOR, UH, 25. YOU'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO REGULATE AN EXISTING USE. YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO CREATE ONE COUNTYWIDE PERMANENTLY FOR EVERY FUTURE APPLICANT WHO FOLLOWS YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SIMPLY DECLINE NOTHING IN STATE LAW. COMPELS THIS COMMISSION TO ADD DATA CENTERS TO THE CODE. LEAVING THE ORDINANCE AS IT STANDS TODAY WITH NO DATA CENTER USE PERMITTED ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY IS A LEGITIMATE LEGAL OUTCOME. AND IT IS THE ONE I'M ASKING YOU TO CHOOSE. I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION TO REJECT THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I KNOW GET MY GOOD EVENING OUTTA THE WAY. MY NAME IS JOANNA MOORES. I'M IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. WARREN COUNTY STATES THAT THE LOCAL PLANNING COMMISSION'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE, AND WELFARE, AS WELL AS TO PLAN FOR ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT. OVER THE COURSE OF THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE HAVE HEARD AND WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT THE NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF LIVING NEAR DATA CENTERS. IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS REQUIRED, I SUGGEST REACHING OUT TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WHO WORKED WITH EXTERNAL EXPERT TEAMS TO GATHER INFORMATION ON THE IMPACTS OF DATA CENTERS, WHICH WERE ALL NEGATIVE. CIRCLING BACK TO THE PUBLIC COMMISSION'S PLAN FOR ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT, THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE COUNTY WILL GROW AT A RATE THAT SUPPORTS THE LOCAL ECONOMY IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT PLACE STRESS ON THE COUNTY. SERVICES OR NATURAL RESOURCES, PRESERVES THE QUALITY OF OUR WATER, AIR, NATURAL RESOURCE, AND SCENIC LANDSCAPE. MAINTAIN SMALL TOWN CHARACTER, ENHANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOBS TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE FAMILIES IN THE COUNTY AND MAKE WARREN COUNTY A PLACE OF CHOICE. IN VIRGINIA. I DID MENTION THE NEED FOR JOBS IN THIS COUNTY'S ANALYSIS OF BASIC EMPLOYMENT EMPHASIZES THAT BASIC EMPLOYMENT PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR SUPPORTING INDUSTRY AND GROWTH. HOWEVER, HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER HIRES APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED PEOPLE WHILE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS OFF 5 22 EMPLOY ALMOST 400 PEOPLE AT THE FAMILY DOLLAR AND 600 PEOPLE AT THE FERGUSON. AT A MINIMUM WE SUGGEST TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT WE DENY THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY A DATA CENTER TO ALLOW DATA CENTERS. I URGE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER RE UM, RECOMMENDING THAT WE UNIFY OUR STANCE WITH THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WHO STATED THEY DENIED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD DEFINE AND PERMIT DATA CENTERS AND INDUSTRIAL PERMIT ZONES BY SPECIAL USE PERMITS. FURTHER, I URGE YOU TO SUGGEST THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD PROVIDE A ZONING TEXT A MINUTE DEFINING DATA CENTERS VERSUS TECHNOLOGY AND PROHIBITING DATA CENTERS FROM ALL ZONING DISTRICTS WHILE ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER APPLICATIONS DUE TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UTILITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS AS STATED, UH, CAN BE PROCEED BY VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 DASH 2 2 80. UH, AND THEN I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I AGREE WITH THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO WORKS FOR PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, THAT THIS TEXT AMENDMENT DOES NOT PROTECT US AND ROCKLAND KNOWS IT. AGAIN, PLEASE SUGGEST WE DENY THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JACOB GATES. UH, I'M FROM THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. UM, I WAS GONNA SAY HALF OF WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID, UM, BUT I'M JUST GONNA GIVE A LITTLE STORY HERE. INSTEAD, I GREW UP IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY AND FOR 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE I SPENT IT WATCHING THE SUBURBAN SPRAWL OVER INDUSTRIALIZATION AND POOR ZONING LAW. STRIPPED THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF FOREST, POLLUTE THE AQUA RIVER AND ITS RESERVOIR AND STRESSED THE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO FAILURE. IN THOSE 20 YEARS THOUGH I SPENT MY SUMMERS COMING OUT TO THE NORTH FORK RESORT WITH MY FAMILY. WE ENJOYED THE RIVER, THE FOREST, THE MOUNTAINS FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, THIS COUNTY AND THE TOWN HAS BEEN A REFUGE AND RETREAT FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. THE NATIONAL PARK, MAIN STREETS, FOODS SHOPS, PEOPLE, THE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY AND THE BEAUTIFUL RAILROADS WERE ALWAYS A HIGHLIGHT OF MY GROWING UP. AS A RESULT, WHEN I WENT TO BY MY OWN HOUSE AND START A FAMILY AND MOVE, THIS WAS THE ONLY PLACE THAT I KNEW I WANTED TO COME TO. WE WERE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOME IN SHADO SHORES AND NOW I FEEL THAT BLESSING MIGHT JUST BE SLIPPING AWAY. [01:10:01] I CHOSE TO COME HERE FOR ITS BEAUTY, NOT ITS INDUSTRIAL ZONING AND DATA CENTERS AND SPREADING SUBURBIA. UNFORTUNATELY, MY FAMILY STILL LIVES IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY. I'VE WATCHED JUST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THEIR PROPERTY VALUE COLLAPSE. UTILITY BILLS INCREASE FOR A 1200 SQUARE FOOT HOME TO UNSTABLE RATES AND THE FERTILE CRESCENT OF PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY JUST DISAPPEARED, REPLACED BY ACREAGE OF CONCRETE BOXES BUTTED UP TO FEDERAL BATTLEFIELDS AND TRAILS. MY PARENTS HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY HAVE TO LEAVE MY CHILDHOOD HOME AS A RESULT OF THESE STRESSES WITH DATA CENTERS CLOSING IN ON WARREN, I FEEL LIKE DELAYED REACTIONS AND ZONING LAW ADMINISTRATION AND I TOO FEEL THE PRESSURE TO LEAVE MY HARD EARNED HOME AND ESCAPE THE INCOMING DESTRUCTION THAT SAID, I DON'T PLAN TO LEAVE THIS PLACE. I'M OPPOSED, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO GROWTH IN ANY OTHER WAY. I'D RATHER SEE OUR COMMUNITY THRIVE AND BECOME WHAT IT WAS FOR ME GROWING UP FOR OTHER PEOPLE. LASTLY, I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT YOU HAVE ALL THESE FOLKS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE HERE TONIGHT, MOST OF WHICH PROBABLY DON'T AGREE WITH EACH OTHER ON HALF OF ANYTHING. AND YET THEY'RE HERE SIDE BY SIDE FROM MULTIPLE MEETINGS SEEING YOU, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND AND BRINGING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. SO I WOULD LIKE THAT YOU WOULD HOPE TO VOTE TO RECOMMEND THE DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE AND LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOU REPRESENT. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS RENEE GREBE. WHILE I LIVE FULL-TIME IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, WE PURCHASED A HOME IN WARREN COUNTY AND SHENANDOAH DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S MY HAPPY PLACE. NATURE IS HEALING. I'M GONNA FEEL LIKE A TEMPORARY REFUGEE AS SOMEONE ELSE SAID IT AT A PRIOR MEETING. WHEN I'M HERE, I CAN BREATHE AGAIN. I PARTICIPATE IN ORGANIZED INVASIVE PLANT REMOVALS AND THOMPSON WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. I PARTAKE IN OUR POA MEETINGS WHEN I CAN. I WAS STREETSIDE WHEN THE KING AND QUEEN WERE IN TOWN. AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT PROPOSING TO ADD DATA CENTERS AS A PERMITTED CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. FOR MY DAY JOB, I WORK IN CONSERVATION ADVOCACY. I HOST TOURS OF DATA CENTER ALLEY. I EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT UNREGULATED EXPANSION OF DATA CENTERS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES. AND IN MY PERSONAL CAPACITY AND TIME, I DO THE SAME BECAUSE UNREGULATED DATA CENTER EXPANSION IS A PIVOTAL ISSUE OF OUR LIFETIME. WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR HOUSE IN WARREN COUNTY, WE WORKED WITH THE WOODWORKERS STRONG OAKS IN TOWN TO TURN MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S OAK TREE INTO A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF FURNITURE FOR OUR HOUSE. THEY ARE THE KIND OF COMPANY WE WANT TO SEE IN THE COUNTY AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS. IF DATA CENTERS ARE ALLOWED HERE, THEY WILL PUSH OUT LOCAL COMPANIES LIKE THIS. THEY WILL MAKE INDUSTRIAL LAND VALUES UNTENABLE FOR LOCAL COMPANIES. WHILE TANKING LAND VALUES FOR RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORHOODS GET DESTROYED. DATA CENTERS WILL BE A VISUAL SCAR IN THE AREA AND POLLUTE OUR AIR. AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THE WATER IMPACTS WILL BE. IF YOU THINK WARREN COUNTY CAN ALLOW DATA CENTERS VIA A CUP AND CREATE GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT PEOPLE, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU YOU CAN'T. ONCE YOU ALLOW THE CAMEL'S NOSE UNDER THE TENT, THE GAME IS OVER. JUST ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT LOCALES CAN'T REGULATE POLLUTING BACKUP GENERATORS TWICE IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ALLOWED PJM TO ALLOW EMERGENCY GENERATORS TO RUN AS PRIMARY POWER. DURING THE HEAT WAVES, WE HAD TO RELIEVE THE GRID FROM THE STRESS OF WELL, A LOT OF DATA CENTERS, LOCALES STATES THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THESE INCREDIBLY POLLUTING EVENTS. WE PAY, YOU PAY RESIDENTS PAY, WE PAY WITH DESTROYED COMMUNITIES, WE PAY WITH POISONED AIR, WE PAY WITH DEGRADED WATER QUALITY AND RESOURCES. PLEASE DO NOT TRADE THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH FOR COUNTY REVENUE. FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE TOWN OF WARRENTON AND BUCKINGTON AND RECOMMEND DENIAL. AND IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WHO HAS A MORATORIUM AND IS LOOKING TO ALSO NOT ALLOW DATA CENTER USE AIR QUALITY WATER SUPPLY GRID STABILITY IMPACTS FROM NEW SUBSTATIONS, IMPACTS FROM HIGH VOLTAGE LINES WHICH IMPACT FAR BEYOND WARREN COUNTY. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. ALL FOR THE PROFIT OF THE WORLD'S RICHEST COMPANIES WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS ORDINANCE WHO IS HARMED, PLEASE MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU. IF YOU'LL GIVE ME A MOMENT, MR. JENKINS, CAN I GET NUMBERS 20 THROUGH 29? AND WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE READING OFF OF THEIR CELL PHONES IS CAUSING INTERFERENCE WITH THE MICROPHONE UP AT THE PODIUM. SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE READING OFF OF YOUR CELL PHONE, TRY TO KEEP IT AWAY FROM THE MIC PLEASE. THANK YOU. JACOB JACOBS, [01:15:04] GIVE US JUST A MOMENT. . YOU GOOD? NOW I'M GONNA START CHAIR OVER. MR. JENKINS, PLEASE. THANK YOU. JOHN JENKINS, SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. UH, THE APPLICATION, UH, FOR THIS DATA CENTER, I REVIEWED A LOT OF THE PAPERWORK ON THAT. THERE ARE 278 UH, LETTERS FROM THE WARREN COUNTY RESIDENCE AND NEIGHBORING, UH, COUNTIES ATTACHED TO THE DATA CENTER, UH, TEXT AMENDMENT. MOST OF THOSE COMMENTS WERE IN OPPOSITION TO DATA CENTERS, UH, DUE TO EXCESSIVE, UH, WATER, WATER USE, NOISE IMPACT ON WARREN COUNTY'S RURAL CHARACTER AND A LOT OF NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE PREVIOUS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. I'M I'M GOING TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THESE NEGATIVE COMMENTS. UH, ONE, THE WATER WILL BE PROVIDED AND REGULATED BY THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, THE MAXIMUM USAGE TO BE AROUND 3000 GALLONS A DAY OR 90,000 GALLONS A MONTH. BY COMPARISON, THE COUNTY JAIL USES 500,000 GALLONS A DAY, WHICH AMOUNTS ABOUT $6 MILLION. UH, 6 MILLION, NOT DOLLARS, BUT GALLONS PER YEAR. THE TWO SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY USE ABOUT 570,000 GALLONS A MONTH. AND THE CITY OF WINCHESTER IS ALLOWED TO DRAW 10 MILLION GALLONS FROM THEANO RIVER A DAY. AND AS FAR AS THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THE ROUTE 5 22 AND THE SECTION OF ROCKLAND WHERE THIS DATA CENTER'S PROPOSED TO GO, THAT VANISHED A LONG TIME AGO. THIS IS AN INDUSTRIAL LOCATION IN THE INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR. IT INCLUDES, UH, INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, WAREHOUSES, DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, CAR LOTS, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS. THIS IS NOT A RESIDENTIAL AREA, SO WHO IS TO BE IMPACTED BY THE NOISE? HOW CAN THIS LOCATION BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE REST OF WARREN COUNTY? AGAIN, 278 NEGATIVE COMMENTS. HOWEVER, 32,000 ADULTS LIVE IN WARREN COUNTY. SO 31,700 MADE NO OBJECTION TO DATA CENTERS FOR THIS APPLICATION. THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ELECTRICAL GRID. THE BUILDING LOCATION IS HIDDEN OFF ROUTE 5 22 AND HAS NO IMPACT ON THE ROYAL CHARACTER. WATER CONSUMPTION IS LIMITED NOISE IMPACT, IF THERE IS ANY, IT SHOULD BE DETERMINED. AND THE PROJECT REVENUE IS $2.4 MILLION. THOSE ARE WHAT'S WRITTEN ON HIS APPLICATION. THAT IS SOMETHING FOR THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE TO CONSIDER AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THAT INFORMATION IS CORRECT. SO IF YOU OPPOSE DATA CENTERS AND ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT HIGHER TAXES, THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. I OWN A HOME IN THE COUNTY AND I PAID TAXES FOR 50 YEARS. SO I SUPPORT NEW INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES COMING IN. NO TAX INCREASES. LAST YEAR'S 18% INCREASE IS ONLY THE START OF HIGHER TAXES TO COVER THE FUTURE NEEDS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY. WHERE'S THE MONEY GONNA COME FROM OUTTA YOUR POCKET? IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU CANNOT AGREE ON FUTURE INDUSTRIES COMING INTO THE COUNTY, AND IF YOU HAVE A SOLUTION TO INCREASE TAX REVENUE, THEN STEP UP TO THE MIC AND GIVE 'EM, GIVE THEM A SHOUT. THINK HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY. YOU DON'T HAVE THE FLOOR. HELLO, GOOD EVENING. UM, MY NAME IS JANELLE RIVERA AND I LIVE IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. I AM GRATEFUL THAT I GET TO LIVE NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK. I MOVED HERE FROM PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY AFTER LIVING THERE FOR 10 YEARS. DURING THAT TIME, DATA CENTERS WERE AGREED ON WITHOUT MUCH OF THE PUBLIC BEING MADE AWARE OF, AND WE ALL FELT THE EFFECTS HIGHER COST OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER. BUT YOU'VE HEARD ALL THIS MANY TIMES AND SO I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THAT. UM, I'M GONNA GIVE A SMALL HISTORICAL TIDBIT THAT RE KIND OF RELATES TO OUR SITUATION. Y'ALL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME. I'M A TEACHER AND EVEN IN THE SUMMER, I TEACHING KEEPS ON HAPPENING. UM, AND IF WE DON'T LEARN FROM HISTORY, WE'RE DOING TO REPEAT IT. AND I TRULY MEAN THAT. IN THE 1920S UNITED STATES RADIUM CORPORATION AND MANY OTHER LARGE CORPORATIONS ASSURED ITS EMPLOYEES THAT THEIR PRODUCT RADIUM WAS SAFE TO USE. RADIUM WAS MARKETED FOR BOTH TOOTHPASTE AND USED ON WATCH STYLES. THE WOMEN CALLED RADIUM GIRLS WOULD DIP PAINT INTO THEIR BRUSHES, INTO RADIUM AND THEN PUT IT IN THEIR MOUTHS TO BE ABLE TO PAINT THE, UH, THE WASH DRYS. THE WOMEN LOST TEETH. PARTS OF THEIR JAWS HAD MISCARRIAGES, STILLBIRTH THAT MANY DIED. WHAT IS MY POINT? CORPORATIONS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF LYING, DENYING, HIDING WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THEIR AIMS. LARGE CORPORATIONS SEE THE PROFITS AND NOT THE LOSS TO INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITIES, [01:20:01] AND FAMILIES. PLEASE LOOK TO PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, LOUDOUN HENRICO AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN TEXAS. LET US LEARN FROM THE LESSONS THEY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT. PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI, MY NAME IS CHERYL VIMY AND I LIVE IN HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU ARE EACH ON THE PLANNING COMMI COMMISSION, OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES TO EVERYONE THAT'S HERE IN THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY UNITY, AS EVIDENCED BY THE VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE TO SPEAK AS ONE VOICE TONIGHT, FOR THE MOST PART, I ASK THAT THE COMMISSIONERS RESPECT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND RECOMMEND DENIAL, UM, OF THE ORDINANCE CHANGE. DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO WRITE LAW CHANGES IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOU HAVE THE DUTY TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, OUR BELOVED LANDSCAPES TOURISM THAT ARE THE VERY SOUL OF WARREN COUNTY. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. HI, MY NAME IS FELICITY. I'M 13 YEARS OLD AND I LIVE IN NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON WHY ON DATA CENTERS, BUT I AM AN EXPERT ON WHY I LOVE LIVING HERE. AND MOST OF IT IS BECAUSE THE VIEWS AND THE OUTDOORS, ALL OF THE OTHER TOWNS ARE PUTTING DATA CENTERS IN AND WE ARE KEEPING IT UP AND WE SHOULD NOT STOP. NOW, I AM ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN GOVERNMENT AND I KNOW I FOUNDING FATHERS MEANT FOR GOVERNMENT TO WORK FOR THE PEOPLE. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE SAYS THAT WHEN GOVERNMENT HURTS THE PEOPLE, INSTEAD OF PROTECTING THEM, THE PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO FIGHT FOR CHANGE. IF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WANTS TO PUT BIG, UGLY BUILDINGS THAT WILL DRAIN OUR WATER SUPPLY AND HARM OUR ENVIRONMENT AND BASICALLY MAKE OUR COUNTY UGLY, WE HAVE THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND UP AND SAY, NO, YOU SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR ME AND FUTURE GENERATIONS GROWING UP HERE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS MEGAN LANE. I LIVE IN, UH, THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT FOR MONTHS I'VE WATCHED THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY OF WARREN AND THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL COME TOGETHER AND UNITY ON THIS ONE ISSUE. AND IT'S BEEN REALLY INSPIRING TO SEE, UM, IF, IF THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VOTES TO INCLUDE DATA CENTERS AS AN ALLOWABLE, UM, USE FOR INDUSTRIAL ZONING. I'LL GET ONE IN MY BACKYARD PRETTY SOON. AS SOON AS WE OPEN THIS DOOR. I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO LAND THAT WILL QUICKLY BE SMASHED UP BY A DATA CENTER. I HAVE COUNTLESS CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THAT WILL IMPACT THE HEALTH OF MY FAMILY, OUR PROPERTY VALUE, THE NOISE AND THE LIGHT POLLUTION AND GENERAL QUALITY OF LIFE. BUT THIS CONVERSATION ISN'T JUST ABOUT PRESERVING MY VIEW, MY FAMILY'S HEALTH. THIS IS BECOMING A MUCH BIGGER CONVERSATION AND ONE THAT WE HAVE TO ENGAGE IN AND BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT HOW WE RESPOND. WHY WOULD WE ALLOW RUSH MARK A DATA CENTER DEVELOPER TO WRITE AN ORDINANCE FOR OUR COUNTY? WHY ARE WE CONSIDERING THIS? WHY WOULD WE RECOMMEND APPROVING IT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS? WE DON'T WANNA LET THEM SET A STANDARD FOR SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT WANT HERE TO BEGIN WITH. 30% OF THE WORLD'S INTERNET TRAFFIC IS GOING THROUGH VIRGINIA DATA CENTERS. VIRGINIA HAS SACRIFICED ENOUGH. WE NEED TO HAVE AREAS OF VIRGINIA THAT WE ARE PRESERVING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES WHERE VIRGINIANS CAN COME TO GET AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA. THAT'S OUR IDENTITY. WE SHOULD BE LEANING INTO THAT. LUCKILY IN VIRGINIA, CITIZENS ARE REBELLING AGAINST THIS ABUSE OF POWER AND PROFIT THAT'S DESTROYING OUR BEAUTIFUL STATE. TODAY. WE HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW THE LEAD THAT THE TOWN HAS ALREADY BRAVELY SET FOR US. WE CAN ALIGN OURSELVES WITH THEM AND BE STRONG TOGETHER TO QUOTE THE WARREN COUNTY WEBSITE. WARREN COUNTY'S LONG, LONG-TERM IDENTITY IS ROOTED IN ITS AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND RURAL CHARACTER. ITS LAND USE POLICIES ARE SHAPED BY A VISION WHERE FUTURE INDUSTRIAL GROWTH MUST COMPLIMENT, NOT REDEFINE THE EXISTING CHARACTER. SO IN CLOSING, I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE TELL THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT YOU RECOMMEND DENYING THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS LAURA CARO AND I LIVE IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. I AM OPPOSED TO HAVING DATA SENT TO HERE. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY FOR 25 YEARS. TWO YEARS BEFORE I CHOSE TO MAKE THIS MY HOME. A FRIEND MOVED DOWN HERE. I MADE MY FIRST VISIT TO FRONT ROYAL IN 1999. I WAS LIVING IN NEW JERSEY AT THE TIME. I [01:25:01] DO REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I DROVE DOWN 5 22 UP AND DOWN THOSE HILLS BY LAKE FREDERICK, WHICH THEY STRAIGHTENED OUT. SINCE THEN. YOU PRACTICALLY COME OUT OF YOUR CAR GOING DOWN THAT HILL AND I SAW THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS IN THE DISTANCE. THE SUN WAS JUST GOING DOWN AND THE SCENE JUST TOOK MY BREATH AWAY. I'M AN ARTIST SO I DROVE DOWN A MULTITUDE OF TIMES WITH MY EASEL, MY PAINT AND CANVAS TO PAINT. SOME OF THE MAJESTIC SCENES HERE. SOME OF THOSE SCENES NO LONGER EXIST. THEY'RE FILLED WITH HOUSES AND COMMERCE. I UNDERSTAND THAT PROGRESS IS INEVITABLE. HOWEVER, OUR AREA MANAGED TO MAINTAIN THE BEAUTY TO HAVE ATTRACTED THE KING AND QUEEN OF ENGLAND. THERE ARE MANY REASONS BESIDES MAINTAINING ITS BEAUTY THAT WILL BE MENTIONED HERE TONIGHT AND HAVE BEEN THE WATER, THE NOISE, THE POLLUTION. BUT I'M HERE TO RAISE THE POINT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT LOSING, LOSING OUR PRISTINE VIEWS, CLEAR NIGHT SKIES AND ITS PURE BEAUTY. PEOPLE TEND TO TAKE FOR GRANTED WHAT THEY HAVE HERE. I REMEMBER PAINTING A SCENE AT THE END OF A ROAD WHERE A HOUSE WAS, AND I TALKED TO THE OWNER AND MENTIONED HOW LUCKY SHE WAS TO HAVE A SCENE IN HER BACKYARD LIKE THAT. SHE SHRUGGED HER SHOULDERS AND SAID, I GUESS SO. AND WHAT THAT MADE ME FEEL IS THAT WE CAN BECOME DESENSITIZED TO THE BEAUTY WE HAVE HERE. YOU SEE IT EVERY DAY. SO IT BECOMES NORMALIZED. PUTTING A DOWN SENDER IN WARREN COUNTY WILL TAKE AWAY FROM ITS NATURAL BEAUTY. I'M SURE I'M DATING MYSELF WITH THIS, BUT SOME PEOPLE HA MAY HAVE HEARD OF JONI MITCHELL AND THE LYRICS OF HER SONG YELLOW TAXI WRITTEN BACK IN 1970. IT PLAYS OVER AND OVER IN MY HEAD. IT GOES LIKE THIS. DON'T, DON'T IT ALWAYS GO TO SHOW THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT TILL IT'S GONE. THEY PAVED PARADISE AND THEY PUT UP A PARKING LOT, THEY TOOK ALL THE TREES AND PUT 'EM IN A TREE MUSEUM AND THEY CHANGED THE PE. THEY CHARGE THE PEOPLE A DOLLAR AND A HALF JUST TO SEE THEM. I LIKE JONI MITCHELL'S MESS MESSAGE AND I HOPE IT RESONATES WITH YOU IN YOUR CHOICE. DON'T DESTROY OUR LEGACY. PLEASE RECOMMEND THE DENIAL OF THE ORDINANCE. ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DR. STEPHANIE HERRERA AND I AM A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR THE TIME YOU HAVE DEVOTED TO REVIEWING THIS PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RECOMMEND THE DENIAL OF THIS AMENDMENT. I HOLD A DOCTORATE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND AN MBA AND BEFORE ALL OF THIS I HAVE WORKED IN COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I USED TO CONSULT WITH ENERGY EXECUTIVES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. AND I AM HERE TO SAY THAT I HAVE SEEN WHAT CAN HAPPEN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY USED TO BE A CEO OF AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHERE WE WORKED IN SUSTAINABILITY. SO IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, WHY WE MOVED HERE. WE'RE ORIGINALLY FROM COLORADO AND IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL. IT REMINDS ME OF COLORADO AND THERE'S SUCH BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE. SO IT'S AN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE. BUT I ALSO BRING ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE. I GREW UP IN DENVER, COLORADO. LOWVILLE WAS A COMMUNITY. WE WERE A SUPER FUN SITE. SO I GOT TO EXPERIENCE, I AM A PRODUCT OF WHAT HAPPENED THERE HEALTH WISE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. MY FAMILY, WE HAVE KEPT RECORDS OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS DATA CENTERS, OTHER SUPERFUND SITES HAPPEN. AND THEN I ALSO RAN AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION THERE. SO THESE EXPERIENCES TAUGHT ME THAT LAND USE DECISIONS ARE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS A COMMUNITY WILL MAKE. EVEN MAKE BECAUSE THEIR IMPACTS CAN LAST AND WILL LAST FOR GENERATIONS. TONIGHT IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT ONE PROPOSED DATA CENTER. IT IS ABOUT WHETHER WARREN COUNTY SHOULD CHANGE ITS ZONING ORDINANCE AND ESTABLISH A PRESIDENT'S THAT WILL SHAPE THIS COMMUNITY FOR DECADES. THE APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR WARREN COUNTY TO CHANGE ITS ZONING ORDINANCE BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT. I BELIEVE THE ZONING LAWS SHOULD REFLECT THE LONG-TERM VISION OF OUR COMMUNITY, NOT TO BE REWRITTEN TO ACCOMMODATE A SINGLE PROPOSAL. LEADERSHIP IS NOT MEASURED BY EVERY OPPORTUNITY [01:30:01] WE ACCEPT. IT IS MEASURED BY THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE, THE WISDOM TO DECLINE. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND THE DENIAL OF THE ZONING AMENDMENT TO PRESERVE WARREN COUNTY THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE CHOSEN TO CALL HOME. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS SIGRID HEDA AND I'VE LIVED IN WARREN COUNTY FOR 28 YEARS AND I LOVE IT HERE. SO I RESPECTFULLY ASK MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COUNCIL TO DENY THE AMENDMENTS BECAUSE OF THE MANY PROBLEMS AND HARDSHIPS THAT DATA CENTERS ARE CAU CAUSING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. SO PLEASE VOTE TO DENY THE PROPOSAL OF THE ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. MY TIME STARTED. OKAY, MELANIE SALANS, THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, MR. BARNHART, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AFTER THE WONDERFUL MEETING THAT WE HAD, YOU DECIDED TO POST A MEME OF CAVEMEN DISCUSSING THE HARM THAT COULD COME FROM TEACHING WOMEN TO TALK, TEACHING WOMEN TO TALK. THEY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT HAVE HEARD LAST WEEK, RESIDENTS OF LOUDOUN VALLEY ESTATE SUBDIVISION LOST THEIR COURT BATTLE AND WILL NOW LOSE THEIR BACKYARDS TO MASSIVE HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES TO POWER DATA CENTER ALLEY. YESTERDAY, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY VOTED UNANIMOUSLY, UNANIMOUSLY TO REJECT THE DULLES SOUTH INNOVATION AND THE DIGITAL GATEWAY IS OFFICIALLY DEAD. WHY AM I TELLING YOU THESE FACTS? BECAUSE THESE FACTS ILLUSTRATE THAT DATA CENTERS ARE NOT GOOD NEIGHBORS. THIS SHOULD SPEAK VOLUMES TO EVERYONE. NORTHERN VIRGINIA HAS LEARNED THEIR LESSON AND NO LONGER WANT DATA CENTERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. SO WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE WANT TO BRING NORTHERN VIRGINIA'S PROBLEMS HERE? EVERY PERSON LISTENING TO THIS, EVERY MEMBER ON THIS DI EVERY PERSON WATCHING FROM HOME NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS TEXT AMENDMENT IS WRITTEN BY A DATA CENTER DEVELOPER TO BENEFIT DATA CENTERS. EVERY WEEK. RESTRICTION LISTED IN THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS NEGATED BY THE WORDS LIMITS MAY BE RELAXED. DO THEY THINK WE'RE STUPID? DO THEY THINK YOU'RE STUPID? BECAUSE THE SALES PITCH HE GAVE WAS FULL OF INACCURACIES AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE TIME TO, TO DISPUTE ALL OF THEM. THEY WERE SO VAST. THIS WAS NOT WRITTEN TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY. IT WAS NOT WRITTEN TO BETTER THIS COMMUNITY. IT WAS WRITTEN TO ENRICH A DATA CENTER DEVELOPER. AND BY DOING SO, WILL ENDANGER THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS COMMUNITY BY THREATENING THEIR WATER, RAISING THEIR ELECTRIC BILL, POTENTIALLY EXPANDING POWER LINES, DESTROYING THE TRANQUIL CHARACTER, RURAL CHARM AND VIEW SHEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY. DATA CENTERS ARE NOT CURRENTLY PERMISSIBLE IN WARREN COUNTY. DATA CENTERS SHOULD NOT BECOME PERMISSIBLE IN WARREN COUNTY. RECORDS SHOW THAT RUSH MARK KNEW THIS PROPERTY WAS NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR DATA CENTERS WHEN THEY BOUGHT IT. THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO REMOVE DATA CENTERS AS A POSSIBLE USE JUST TO GET APPROVAL TO REZONE THE LAND INTO INDUSTRIAL USE. THEY PROMISED WAREHOUSING AND NOW WE GET THIS RUSH MARK IS GOING BACK ON THEIR WORD AND REQUESTING THE ENTIRE COUNTY CHANGE ITS ZONING CODE TO ACCOMMODATE THEM IN BUILDING THE ONE THING THEY PROMISED NOT TO BUILD. THAT IS NOT A VERY TRUSTWORTHY MOVE. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE I CAN'T TRUST. I ASK THAT YOU RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE. IF YOU'LL GIVE ME JUST ONE SECOND. OKAY. CAN I GET NUMBER 30 THROUGH 39 PLEASE? YES. OKAY. WE'VE HAD A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE AUDIENCE THAT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN USING YOUR PHONE NEAR THE MICROPHONE, TRY PUTTING IT INTO AIRPLANE MODE. WE'LL SEE IF NOT, WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION WHEN WE HAVE THE BREAK WITH OUR TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR. YES. HELLO. I AM RENA SALAND. I WANNA START BY SAYING THAT I WAS NOT TOLD TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I DECIDED TO ON MY OWN. I'VE SAT THROUGH MANY TOWN, COUNTY AND SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS SINCE I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD. I AM NOW 16. [01:35:02] I'M SURE SOME OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE REMEMBER ME AND MY BROTHER SITTING UNDER TABLES DOING OUR HOMEWORK. I HAVE SEEN MANY GOOD THINGS TAKE PLACE IN OUR COUNTY AND I HOPE TO SEE ANOTHER ONE TONIGHT. I HAVE HAD THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AN IT CLASS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. BOTH OF THOSE YEARS WE HAVE GONE TO TOUR DATA CENTER. THE MEN WHO GAVE US THE TOUR WERE VERY GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME, HONEST IN THEIR RESPONSES AND KIND. IT WAS A VERY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. YES, WHILE A COOL THING TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE. I LIKE MANY OTHERS, DO NOT WANT DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY OUTSIDE OF THE DATA CENTER. THERE WAS A LOUD HUMMING NOISE WHEN WE GOT THE TOUR. THE MEN WHO WORKED THERE SAID THAT WITH HOW FAST TECHNOLOGY IS ADVANCING, THAT THESE DATA CENTERS WILL LIKELY NO LONGER BE IN USE IN A DECADE AND WILL BE BUILDINGS JUST LEFT VACANT. THE WAY THESE BUILDINGS ARE MADE MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE USED FOR ANYTHING ELSE. ONCE WE LEFT THE DORM, MY MOM AND I HAD HEADACHES AND OUR EYES HURT. I PREFER FOR THAT TO NOT BE A NORMAL OCCURRENCE IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES. I'M AWARE YOU HEAR THIS A LOT, BUT WARREN COUNTY CANNOT SUPPORT BOTH DATA CENTERS AND CIVILIANS PROPERLY AT THE SAME TIME. AND IN MY OPINION, THE CIVILIANS ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO A COUNTY THAN A DATA CENTER. YES, DATA CENTER DATA CENTERS HAVE THEIR PLACE, BUT IT'S NOT IN WARREN COUNTY. I SPOKE TODAY BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE PLACE I LIVE AND SPEAKING UP IS BETTER THAN JUST SHOWING UP. AND I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN TO SPEAK TONIGHT, THERE'S ALSO AN IMPORTANCE FOR THE YOUTH TO SPEAK UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION WANTS THIS. I CARE BECAUSE I PLAN ON BUYING AND LIVING IN MY CHILDHOOD HOME WITH MY KIDS ONE DAY. I HAVE SO MANY MEMORIES HERE AND I WANNA SHARE THOSE MEMORIES WITH MY FUTURE KIDS, AS I'M SURE MANY OTHERS WANT TO DO AS WELL. I CHOOSE WARREN COUNTY BECAUSE THERE IS TRULY SOMETHING SPECIAL HERE. I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE IN THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. I HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND VOTE NO NOTED DATA CENTERS TONIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. UM, MIKE SALE NORTH RIVER WAS MY DAUGHTER. THAT WAS MY WIFE, RIGHT? THEY SPEAK FAR BETTER THAN I DO. SO I GOTTA READ FROM THIS THING. ALL RIGHT. UM, GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M SUPER THRILLED TO BE WASTING YET ANOTHER EVENING TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU ALL THAT. NOBODY WANTS DATA CENTERS HERE. UM, I'VE BEEN TO A NUMBER OF MEETINGS, UH, LATELY REGARDING DATA CENTERS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE YET TO MEET ONE PERSON IN FAVOR OF THESE DATA CENTERS WHO IS NOT PERSONALLY PROFITING. I COULD EASILY SPEND MY TIME EXPLAINING ALL THE REASONS WHY DATA CENTERS ARE BAD FOR THIS COUNTY, BUT IT'S ALL BEEN SAID BEFORE. I'LL SAY ONE THING REGARDING THE PROPOSED SETBACK. SO FROM YOUR DESK TO THE FIFTH ROW, THAT IS THE 25 FOOT SETBACK MINIMUM SETBACK FOR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. AND THEN FROM YOUR DESK THAT JUST BEYOND THAT BACK WALL IS THE PROPOSED MINIMUM SETBACK FOR RESIDENTIAL. IMAGINE HAVING TO WORK OR LIVE THAT CLOSE TO ONE OF THESE MONSTROSITIES, HAVING TO HEAR DRONING NOISE NONSTOP, LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF A CONCRETE MONSTROSITY. JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THE CITIZENS TO BE OKAY WITH. AND ASK YOURSELF IF THE OWNER RUSH MARK LIVES WITH A DATA CENTER THAT CLOSE TO HIS BEDROOM WINDOW. DAN, DO YOU WANNA LIVE THAT WAY? YOU EXPECT US TO. HE STATED THAT HE HAS SOLUTIONS TO THE WATER, ELECTRICITY, AND NOISE ISSUES. I, I FORGOT WHAT LIES HE WAS SAYING, BUT IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER, EVEN IF THEY'RE ALL TRUE, WE'RE STILL GONNA BE LEFT WITH A MONSTROSITY, AN EYESORE. EVERYTHING THAT WE ALL LIVE HERE TO AVOID AS IS, AS FOR HIS CLAIM ABOUT THESE THINGS BEING AESTHETICALLY PLEASING. I I, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE HE WOULD SAY SOMETHING THAT IGNORANT JUST GO TO LOUDOUN COUNTY. IT'S, IT'S JUST REPULSIVE. I GO THERE EVERY DAY AND I CAN'T GET OUTTA THERE FAST ENOUGH. AND IT'S, I IT'S AMAZING. HE CAN SIT THERE, ALL THESE PEOPLE SPEAKING AGAINST HIM, LIKE JUST SAYS A LOT ABOUT GREED. I SIR, DON'T GET PERSONAL. OH, IT'S NOT PERSONAL. THAT'S ABOUT CORPORATE AND THAT CORPORATION. ANYWAY, I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO VOTE THE RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. UH, MY NAME IS MICHAEL DORSEY. I LIVE IN [01:40:01] SOUTH WORK DISTRICT. I MOVED OUT HERE TO FRONT ROYAL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. WELL, I GUESS I CAN START WITH, I GREW UP IN LAKE JACKSON DOWN IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, WHICH ALL THE FIELDS I USED TO GROW UP AND RIDE MY FOUR WHEELERS IN THE STUFF ARE NOW AT DATA CENTERS. THE AREA'S TOTALLY CHANGED, WHICH IT'S FINE. I MOVED OUT TO REMINGTON 14 YEARS AGO AND NOW REMINGTON WHERE I MOVED FROM RUNNING FROM THE TWO, THREE DATA CENTERS THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IS NOW GONNA BE A FIVE DATA CENTER PARK GOING IN AROUND REMINGTON, WHICH HAS BEEN FOUGHT, UH, MOVE OUT HERE. AND NOW I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD THINK THAT I'M FIGHTING THIS. UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, WE, UH, CELL PHONES, EVERYTHING NOWADAYS IS MEANT TO BE TWO OR THREE YEARS AND IT'S GONE. IT'S, IT'S TRASH. SO I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WITH THE DATA CENTERS IS GONNA BE THE SAME WAY. EVERYTHING EVERYBODY'S MENTIONED, THE WATER, THE ELECTRIC, ALL OF THAT STUFF. BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE LEFT WITH IS PROBABLY ANOTHER ONE OF THESE AV TECH THINGS. OR WHERE THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF COBALT AND CRAZY CHEMICALS THAT ARE LEFT IN A BUILDING THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CLEAN UP OR, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT'S EASY TO SAY NO AND THAT'S ALL YOU'D HAVE TO DO. AND I'M JUST ASKING YOU, PLEASE JUST VOTE NO. DENY THE DENIAL OF THE PROPOSAL OR THE ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO, MY NAME IS TRE STANFORD. I'M IN FORK DISTRICT. UH, I LIVE IN THE TOWN, BUT I WORK IN THE COUNTY. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. TODAY'S A SPECIAL DAY FOR ME AND MY LOVELY WIFE MARY. IT IS OUR 26TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. ALRIGHT? BUT WE ARE BOTH HERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN THIS CAUSE WE BOTH BEG THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU VOTE NO ON THE TAX AMENDMENT AND RECOMMEND TO THE SUPERVISORS THAT DATA CENTERS NOT BE ALLOWED UNDER ANY CONDITIONS IN WARREN COUNTY. WHATEVER LOCAL TAX INCOME THAT WE STAND TO GAIN IS NOT WORTH THE TREMENDOUS PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH DATA CENTERS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE BEEN OUTLINED. UM, HIGHER ELECTRICITY RATES, LOWER PROPERTY VALUES, THE HORRENDOUS THUNDER OF, UH, UP TO A HUNDRED DIESEL ENGINES WHENEVER THE GRID IS, UM, IS PRESSURED IN WINTER AND SUMMER. AND PLAINLY, WE JUST HAD ONE OF THOSE PRESSURES WITH THE HEAT WAVE. AND YOU REMEMBER THE COLD SNAP THIS PAST, UH, WINTER, UH, ANOTHER TIME WHEN YOU'D HAVE HUNDREDS OF DIESEL ENGINES, UM, MAKING NOISE. UH, SO LET'S BE HONEST, THIS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT A QUESTION OF EASY MONEY. UH, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS EASY MONEY. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A PRICE TO PAY, UH, THE IMPACTS ON LOCAL PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND ON TOURISM AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. SO MUCH MORE MAY BE IRREVERSIBLE AS THE UNINHIBITED GROWTH OF DATA CENTERS IN HIGH DENSITY GROUPS PROVES THEY ONLY COME IN LARGE NUMBERS. FOR EXAMPLE, ASHBURN HAS 136 DATA CENTERS. STERLING HAS 87, DULLES HAS 30, CHANTI HAS 19, AND THAT'S JUST THE DULLES CORRIDOR. THEN THERE'S RICHMOND. THEY HAVE 115, GAINESVILLE HAS 15, EVEN LITTLE COAL PEPPER HAS 13 AND THEY'RE ALL STILL GROWING. GIVE THESE RICH COMPANIES AN INCH AND THEY WILL TAKE A MILE. THERE WILL NEVER BE JUST ONE PROPERTY DEVELOPED. I WORRY ABOUT ANY UNDEVELOPED FLAT SPACE IN THIS COUNTY. MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE RIGHT AFTER WE WERE MARRIED AND WE RAISED OUR FAMILY HERE AND HAVE ALWAYS LOVED WARREN COUNTY. PLEASE RESIST THE PRESSURE TO BUILD THESE DATA CENTERS AND INSTEAD PRESERVE THE BEAUTY OF OUR COUNTY. IMAGINE IF HU HUGE FIELDS OF DATA CENTERS ARE ALL ANYONE CAN SEE WHEN THEY DRIVE DOWN 66 OR PADDLE DOWN THE SHENANDOAH OR TAKE IN THE VISTAS FROM AN OVERLOOK ON SKYLINE DRIVE. OUR COUNTY'S BEAUTY GIVES PEACE AND INSPIRATION TO PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND ALL OVER THE WORLD. THAT'S WHAT WE MUST PROTECT. THIS IS A PLACE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD TO CALL HOME. PLEASE HELP US PROTECT IT. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MARY STANFORD. I'VE LIVED IN THE FORK DISTRICT RAISING OUR FAMILY FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTY AND FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND LISTENING TO US TONIGHT. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THREE LIES THAT HAVE BEEN CIRCULATING ON THIS ISSUE OF DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY. PERHAPS YOU HAVE HEARD THEM REPEATED. THE FIRST ONE IS THAT BEAUTY IS A LUXURY, BUT NOT REALLY NECESSARY TO HUMAN THRIVING. THAT THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF OUR LOCALE IS NICE, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S JUST AN ADD-ON KIND OF A BONUS, AN EXTRA SOMETHING WORTH ABANDONING OR DESTROYING IN PURSUIT OF EFFICIENCY OR ECONOMIC GAIN. I ASK HOW CAN SOMETHING SO [01:45:01] UNIMPORTANT, SO UNNECESSARY BRING TOGETHER A GROUP THIS BIG IN THIS DIVERSE TONIGHT. PEOPLE WHO TRANSCEND LARGE POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS SOCIAL DIVIDES TONIGHT ARE STANDING HERE TESTIFYING THAT THE BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE IS FORMATIVE. IT IS RESTORATIVE OF TRANQUILITY AND PEACE AND IT IS INSPIRATIONAL. IT CAN BRING US ALL TOGETHER. AND IF IT'S THAT FOUNDATIONAL, IT IS NECESSARY. IN FACT, I THINK IT'S BEST SAID BY A CHARACTER FROM A DOKY NOVEL, BEAUTY WILL SAVE THE WORLD. WHY? BECAUSE IT UPLIFTS PEOPLE AND IT UNITES PEOPLE JUST LOOK AROUND. THE SECOND LIE IS RELATED AND IT IS THAT DATA CENTERS ARE NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN OUR WAY OF LIFE. AND DESTROYING THE BEAUTY OF OUR COUNTY IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF STORING IMPORTANT DATA. TO THAT I WILL RESPOND FROM ESOP. NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION. IF STORING DATA IS SO IMPORTANT, IF IT REALLY IS NECESSARY, THEN COMMUNITIES MUST CHALLENGE THE TECH COMPANIES TO FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY. THEY'RE SMART PEOPLE BECAUSE BEAUTY, HEALTH, WATER, POWER, AND SILENCE ARE ALSO NECESSARY. THE LAST LIE BEING BANDIED ABOUT ON THIS ISSUE IS THAT ALLOWING THESE CENTERS IS INEVITABLE BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S DOING IT. EVERY OTHER COUNTY, EVERY OTHER TOWN. WE GOTTA GET IN AND REAP THE FINANCIAL REWARD WHILE WE CAN. HERE, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE BIBLICAL CAUTIONARY TALE OF JACOB AND ESAU. ESAU SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT FOR A MESS OF POT. HE SACRIFICED HIS FUTURE BECAUSE OF HIS IMPATIENCE AND A DESIRE FOR A SMALL BUT IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION, ACTING WITH A VIEW TO THE FUTURE AND TO THOSE WE HAND ON OUR COUNTY TO REQUIRES FORESIGHT, PATIENCE, AND COURAGE. AND TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO ACT WITH COURAGE TO STAND UP AGAINST THIS TREND AND TO ACT FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTY'S CITIZENS. A WRITER ONCE SAID THAT WE MIGHT GO DOWN IN HISTORY. THANK YOU. NEVERMIND. WE'LL SAVE THAT FOR THE NEXT ONE. I'LL JUST GET RID OF THAT REAL QUICK. UH, MY NAME IS MICHAEL BELU FORT DISTRICT. SO I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ANY KIND OF THING LIKE THIS. I THOUGHT THAT, UH, TONIGHT WOULD BE A GOOD FIRST TIME. SO I ALSO DIDN'T PREPARE ANYTHING. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GETTING READ AT FOR THE LAST, UH, ALMOST TWO HOURS. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST KIND OF TAILOR IT TO WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING. SO BASICALLY WHAT I'VE GATHERED FROM ALL OF THIS IS THAT YOU HAVE A BIG COMPANY, A BIG CORPORATION THAT IS TRYING TO COME IN AND MODIFY THE RULES AND THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT PROTECT SMALL COUNTIES, SMALL TOWNS SUCH AS FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY. AND IT'S FOR THEIR PERSONAL GAIN. I DON'T SEE A TON OF GAIN FOR ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM, FOR YOU GUYS, FOR MYSELF, FOR ANYBODY OTHER THAN THE BIG CORPORATIONS. AND THIS IS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO THESE SMALLER TOWNS HOPING TO CATCH EVERYBODY SLEEPING AND TO MAKE MONEY. RIGHT? AND IT'S ALL UNDER THE DISGUISE OF PROGRESS. THAT IF YOU'RE YOUNG, IF YOU CARE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, IF YOU ARE A FORWARD THINKING PERSON, THAT YOU WANT ALL THE DATA, YOU WANT THE DATA CENTERS, YOU WANT THE NEXT NEW THING. WELL, I'M, I HOPE TO THINK I'M STILL A YOUNGER PERSON AND I, I'LL READ MY LITTLE PIECE HERE. PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THAT WAS THE ONE SCRIPTED PART. UH, BUT BASICALLY IT IS NOT PROGRESS IN TERMS OF SOMETHING THAT IS POSITIVE. PROGRESS DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE POSITIVE. THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF NEGATIVE PROGRESS MADE IN THE WORLD, IN THE COUNTRY, ANYWHERE ELSE. YOU HAVE TO MAKE POSITIVE PROGRESS AND KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS, IS, IS A, IT'S MY WATCH, I THINK, UM, . BUT TO KNOW THAT THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'RE MAKING IS GOOD IS BASICALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. AND TO HAVE BIG CORPORATIONS COME DOWN HERE INTO THIS AREA AND TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LITTLE GUY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT ANYBODY SHOULD STAND FOR. AND I THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TOUCHED ON UP TO THIS POINT IS [01:50:01] THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS HAVE HAD THE SAME THOUGHTS ON THIS. AND ALL EXCEPT FOR I THINK ONE PERSON'S BEEN AGAINST IT. AND ALSO, UM, SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THAT THE WHOLE THREE 40 AREA IS ALREADY UGLY AND THEN IT'S ALL DOWNHILL. SO WHY DON'T WE JUST PUT A DATA CENTER DOWN ON MAIN STREET THEN AND JUST GET RID OF THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT IT. I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO PRESERVE WHAT YOU CAN AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF PROGRESS. I AM JAMES CONTRERAS FROM THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT AND I WAS AT THE LAST MEETING SPEAKING ABOUT THE DATA CENTER IMPACT OVER BY THE SOCCER PLEX BECAUSE MY SIBLINGS PLAY SOCCER OVER THERE. UM, AND THE HEALTH SIDE IS VERY BIG TO ME. IN FIVE YEARS AFTER AI BUBBLE POPS, EVERYTHING GOES DOWNHILL. WHAT WILL WE HAVE? WE'LL HAVE A BIG OLD METAL BOX ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY THAT JUST POISONED OUR LAND, POISONED OUR WATER, AND POISONED OUR AIR. ALL IT WILL DO IS CALL HEALTH ISSUES AND KILL US. UM, AND THOSE WITH THE HEALTH ISSUES, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD TREATMENT FOR THAT. AND OH MY GOD, UH, SORRY. UM, WITH THE RISING PRICES OF EVERYTHING, NOBODY WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE CARE. AND HOW CAN YOU VOTE YES AND LOOK SOMEONE WITHOUT LOOKING THEM IN THE FACE, KNOWING THAT YOU'RE ACTIVELY PUTTING THEM IN HARM'S WAY FOR MONEY THAT WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE FOR A FEW YEARS WHEN INSTEAD WE CAN MAKE MONEY THROUGH OTHER MEANS THAT IS LESS DESTRUCTIVE TO EVERYTHING. UM, AND I BELIEVE IF ANY OF YOU VOTE YES, YOU WILL BE VOTED OUT. UM, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO LOOK SPEAKERS WHEN THEY'RE SPEAKING FOR A MAJORITY OF THE TIME. MR. BARNHART, I AM OVER. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATE AVERY. I'M FROM THE SOUTH RIVERS HISTORY. 39 YEARS AGO, MY HUSBAND AND I DECIDED TO LEAVE FALSE CHURCH FAIRFAX, ALL THAT NONSENSE DOWN THERE. WE WANTED TO LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN. I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN. WHEN WE GOT HERE, WE MOVED UP INTO SHENANDOAH FARMS. WE HAD DEER AND BOBCAT AND LOTS OF RABBITS AND SQUIRRELS AND I LOVED IT. WE HAVE MOVED NOW INTO THE DUN GADEN SUBDIVISION AND WE'VE HAD BEAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY SLEEPING ON MY SON'S CAR R AND I MEAN IT, IT'S, I LOVE IT. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BEAR IS THE OTHER NIGHT MY SON WAS GOING TO WORK, HE WORKS IN MIDDLETOWN AND HE SAW A FISHER CAT. NOW FISHER CATS WERE EXTERMINATED IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS FROM WARREN COUNTY, COMPLETELY REMOVED, DESTROYED. THEY'RE NOW COMING BACK BECAUSE THEY WERE REINTRODUCED INTO WEST VIRGINIA. IF WE LET THOSE CRITTERS GO, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT US? WE COULD END UP LIKE THAT POOR LITTLE ROBOT ON WALLY AND A BUNCH OF TRASH. YOU PUT A AI JUST BUILDING IN THIS AREA. WHO'S TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN EMP ATTACK AND THE WHOLE THING SHUTS DOWN. I WANT YOU TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. DO YOU WANT THEM TO LIVE LIKE THAT? I DON'T. I'M NOT GONNA LIVE THAT MUCH LONGER ANYWAY, BUT I ASK YOU, I BEG YOU, I IMPLORE PLEASE VOTE NO ON THAT DATA CENTER BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORTH OUR TIME. IT'S NOT WORTH OUR HEALTH AND IT'S NOT WORTH OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH EITHER. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. AND LADIES, BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, CAN I GET 40 THROUGH 49? [01:55:09] I'M CAROL CHRISTOPHER TIS, I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. DATA CENTERS ARE NOT A GOOD FIT FOR WARREN COUNTY. WE'VE DISCUSSED THE REASONS WHY AD NAUSEUM, THE RESIDENTS ARE IN AGREEMENT AND THEY HAVE SPOKEN LOUDLY AND CLEARLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN UP TO THESE MEETINGS TO SAY NO. IT'S PRETTY MUCH UNANIMOUS THAT NO ONE WANTS DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A HANDFUL WHO WILL BENEFIT FINANCIALLY. IT'S APPALLING THAT THE DATA CENTER OF DEVELOPER HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO WRITE THE PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT IN COUNTIES ACROSS VIRGINIA AND ACROSS, UM, IN COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS HAVE PROMISED THE MOON AND STARS AND THEN DID EXACTLY OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY PROMISED. THEY LIE AND IMPOSE FINES MEAN NOTHING TO THEM. THOSE LIVING AROUND THE DATA CENTERS ARE FORCED TO SUFFER WITH THE NOISE POLLUTION, LOSS OF OUTDOOR ENJOYMENT AND HEALTH EFFECTS. THE PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE, AND GENERAL WELFARE AND ARE NOT GOOD ZONING PRACTICES. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. TO THE SUPERVISORS AND ALL OF THE LOVELY PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT, I WANT TO GIVE MY PERSONAL THING ALL OF THE THOUGHT AND ALL OF THE HEART THAT WENT INTO EVERYTHING PEOPLE ARE SAYING TONIGHT. ALSO INTELLIGENT. I MAY INTERRUPT YOU SIR. WE NEED YOUR NAME AND YOUR DISTRICT. YEAH, RAYMOND FRANCIS. THANK YOU. AND I'M IN THE EIGHT 10, UH, WEST 14TH STREET. I THINK IT'S FOURTH DISTRICT. OKAY. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PERFECT. . OKAY. AND, UH, AND MY GRATEFUL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SHOWN US WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP IT. I HAVEN'T GOT ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, BUT I THANK GOD FOR SUCH GIFTS AND, AND, UH, OF COURSE I GREATLY, UM, ENCOURAGE YOU. DON'T DO IT. I'M CATHERINE MILLER AND I LIVE IN THE FOURTH FOR DISTRICT DEAR MEMBERS OF THE WARREN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION. I WAS BORN IN VIRGINIA AND I'VE BEEN A WARREN COUNTY RESIDENT FOR NEARLY HALF MY LIFE. YESTERDAY I TOOK MY CHILDREN TO SEE THE MOVIE YOUNG WASHINGTON. THE MESSAGE IN THE MOVIE WAS CLEAR GEORGE WAS A PATRIOT, BUT FIRST HE WAS A PROUD VIRGINIAN. AS A YOUNG MAN, HE WAS A LAND SURVEYOR AND HE KNEW THIS LAND, THE RIVERS, THE MOUNTAINS, AND THIS VERY VALLEY LIKE THE BACK OF HIS HAND. TO KNOW IT IS TO LOVE IT. AND SO HE DID SO MUCH SO THAT WHEN HE DECLARED THE INDEPENDENCE OF OUR NATION, HE PLEDGED HIS LIFE, HIS FORTUNE, AND HIS SACRED HONOR TO PROTECT IT AND DEFEND IT TO THIS VERY DAY. HE REMAINS HONORED, REVERED AND RESPECTED BY NEARLY EVERY CITIZEN, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT OF OUR COUNTRY TODAY. THIS COUNTY STANDS AT A CROSSROADS. YOU HOLD THE POWER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS VERY MOMENT TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT WARREN COUNTY. FOR AS LONG AS YOU CHOOSE TO CALL THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE YOUR HOME, YOU'LL RUN INTO FELLOW RESIDENTS EVERYWHERE YOU GO, WHO WILL REMEMBER YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE OR FOR WHAT YOU HAVE FAILED TO DO. OR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE OVERWHELMINGLY UNANIMOUS VOICE OF THIS COMMUNITY, BY RECOMMENDING DENIAL OF THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE, YOU WILL BE HONORED, YOU WILL BE RESPECTED, AND YOU WILL BE FOREVER REMEMBERED BY ALL THOSE STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU. AS HEROES WHO MADE A DECISION TO PROTECT THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE WE ALL LOVE. I AM GENUINELY ASKING YOU TODAY, PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. SAY NO TO EVER ALLOWING DATA CENTERS TO COME TO WARREN COUNTY. MAKE THIS A GIFT YOU LEAVE FOR OUR FUTURE. MAKE THIS WHAT YOUR NAME IS REMEMBERED FOR AND MAKE THIS THE LEGACY THAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND. [02:00:02] MAY YOU CHOOSE WELL AND MAY YOUR FAMILY NAME BE HONORED, RESPECTED, AND REVERED BY CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT COUNTY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU. TESTING. TESTING. ALL RIGHT. HELLO EVERYONE. I'M MICHAEL BRILL. I'M IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT AND UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, I MOVED FROM, UH, CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA. I WAS IN ALEXANDRIA FOR A WHILE FROM STAFFORD. I WAS IN THE MILITARY, SERVED IN THE MARINES, TRAVELED ALL AROUND THE WORLD. AND, UM, AFTER SO MANY MOVES AND SO MUCH CHAOS AROUND THE WORLD THAT I HAD TO DEAL WITH, UH, WE ENDED UP MOVING HERE. AND THIS IS LIKE MY PEACE FRONT ROW IS LIKE, THIS IS MY COMMUNITY. NOW THAT YO GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT. 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'M ACTUALLY AT PEACE HERE. SO, UM, ALSO, I'M GLAD THAT, UM, EVERYONE HERE, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR STANDING UP, SPEAKING, COMING HERE TO ATTEND BECAUSE WITHOUT EVERYONE JUST SAYING WHATEVER THEY CAN, NO MATTER HOW NERVOUS THEY ARE OR HOWEVER THEY FEEL GETTING THOSE WORDS IN ARE SO IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE WITH ME AND ME AND OBVIOUSLY BEING HERE TO SUPPORT YOU ALL AS WELL. AND NOW I'LL GO WITH THE SCRIPTED PART. UM, SO I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DATA CENTERS IN FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY. THE PRIMARY CONCERN RAISED BY THE GENTLEMAN EARLIER WAS THAT RUSH MARK APPEARS TO HAVE SET THE RULES FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT, MAKING CERTAIN PROMISES THAT ARE MERELY MARKETING TACTICS AND NOT ACTUAL RULES. WE CANNOT LIVE, UH, OUR LIVES BASED ON POWERPOINT SLIDES. AND I'VE LEARNED THAT WORKING IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR 18 YEARS. SO FURTHERMORE ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, POINT OUT THAT, UH, THE GENTLEMAN WHO CLAIMED THAT NO ONE RESIDES NEAR THE PROPOSED SITES IS MISTAKEN. IF YOU DRIVE AROUND THE AREA WHERE THE PROPOSED DATA CENTER, UH, SITE IS, YOU'LL FIND HUNDREDS OF HOMES SITUATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE PROPOSED SITES AND THOUSANDS MORE WITHIN A MILES RADIUS. FIRST, UM, I'D ALSO, OR SECOND, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVE THAT THE CLAIMS OF THE APPLICANT ARE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED. A LOT OF THESE ARE EMPTY PROMISES. THE APPLICANT CLAIMS THAT UTILITY COSTS WON'T INCREASE FOR RESIDENTS LIKE OTHER OTHERS HAVE SAID. HOWEVER, THIS IS A GUARANTEE. THIS IS A POWERPOINT AND MARKETING SCHEME. AS WE'RE WITNESSING THIS HAPPENED NATIONWIDE, ELECTRICITY COSTS ARE RISING EVEN HIGHER AND HIGHER RATES ARE EVEN, UM, BEING WELL, THE INCREASE OF RATES ARE BEING, UH, AFFECT OR AFFECTING THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE SPECIFICALLY AROUND THESE DATA CENTERS. AND, UM, DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS ALONE AND THE SEVERAL YEARS OF CONTINUOUS DROUGHTS AND, UM, LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID, THE SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO BROWN OUT THEIR HOUSE OR TURN OFF LIGHTS LOWER DOWN, OR, UM, RAISE THEIR ACS. UM, AND THIS SOUNDS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WAS BEING PRESENTED IN THE APPLICATION AND THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THESE THINGS. UM, THEY TOUCH BASE ON THEM. ANOTHER POINT. UM, WE DON'T HAVE SET FIRM LIMITS ON ANY OF THIS. HELLO, MY NAME IS JENNIFER THOMAS AND I'M IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. I ACTUALLY LIVE IN CRAZY FREDERICK MARYLAND. I'VE BEEN COMING TO MY HOME PLACE HERE IN FRONT ROYAL FOR THE LAST 62 YEARS. I, UM, I LOVE MY PROPERTY. I LOVE THE AREA. I KNOW EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF MY PROPERTY AND WHAT IT'S LIKE AND WHAT IT'S DONE OVER THE YEARS. AND I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING A WONDERFUL CARETAKER. I'VE LIVED THROUGH SOME BAD DECISIONS MADE BY WARREN COUNTY INDUSTRIES. I LIVE THROUGH THE A, THE SMELLS OF AFEC WHEN IT WAS OPERATING THE RAYON PLANT AND THE PCB CONTAMINATION OF THE SEDIMENTS IN THE RIVER. AND ALSO THE RESTRICTIONS ON BEING ABLE TO EAT THE FISH FROM THE RIVER. UM, I'M GLAD THAT THOSE THINGS HAVE ALL GONE AWAY. MOSTLY AS TIME HAS GONE BY. I AM A RETIRED GROUNDWATER HYDROGEOLOGIST. I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE KNOW THAT THE INCREASING, THAT THE INCREASING AMOUNTS OF WATER WILL BE NECESSARY TO OPERATE THE DATA CENTERS. MUCH OF THAT WATER IS EVAPORATED AND VERY LITTLE OF IT WILL BE RETURNED TO THE WATERSHED. TO DATE. A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR EVALUATING WATER RESOURCES RELATED TO DATA CENTERS HAS NOT BEEN DONE. WE DON'T KNOW THE IMPACT OF NUMEROUS DATA CENTERS ON THE [02:05:01] SHENANDOAH RIVER. WARREN COUNTY IS NOT THE ONLY COUNTY CONSIDERING DATA CENTERS IN THE REGION. SEVERAL SMALL TOWNS UPSTREAM OF FRONT ROYAL SUCH AS SHENANDOAH VI VI, WHICH RECENTLY APPROVED A DATA CENTER, HAVE ALSO BEEN APPROACHED. IF THEY BUILD DATA CENTERS, THERE WILL BE LESS WATER FOR FRONT ROYAL. AND WE DON'T KNOW THE IMPACT, THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THE NUMBER OF DATA CENTERS THAT WILL BE DRAWING WATER. WARREN COUNTY IS NOT THE, OOPS, SORRY. ANYWAY, UM, THE RIVER WATER LEVELS ARE REFLECTING SUBSTANTIAL REGIONAL DROUGHT IN THE LAST ONE OR TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN THE LOWEST I'VE SEEN IN SEVERAL DECADES. COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON WELLS NEAR THE RIVER DISCREETLY DRAW WATER FROM THE RIVER AND ARE AT RISK OF REQUIRING WATER RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE OF SHORTAGES. EVEN WITHOUT THE DATA CENTERS, DATA CENTERS CAN IMPACT VIABLE WATER RESOURCES. WATER IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MANUFACTURED. I AM, UH, URGING YOU TO DENY THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM RUSH MARK IN HIS PROPOSAL, GAVE NO CONCRETE INFORMATION ON AMOUNT OF WATER OR ANY STATISTICS ON WHAT THEY EXPECT THIS PROPERTY WILL NEED. AND I THINK THAT IT'S FOOLISH TO TRY TO MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT HAVING ALL THAT INFORMATION AND HAVING THE INFORMATION ON WHETHER THE SHENANDOAH RIVER WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WHAT THEY NEED IN THE LONG TERM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO, UH, STEVEN ROSS FROM THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND GIVING US THE TIME TO SPEAK. I KNOW THAT, UM, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO REALLY GET A MESSAGE ACROSS AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY IS A VI A VILLAGE AND I SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. AND MY LATE WIFE'S BEHALF, MY WIFE HAD A RARE FORM OF CANCER AND UNFORTUNATELY SHE'S NOT HERE WITH ME TODAY, BUT WE LIVED IN LOUDOUN COUNTY IN STERLING WHERE ALL THE DATA CENTERS WERE. AND THE DOCTORS THAT WORKED ON HER SAID THAT A LOT OF THE TYPES OF, UH, CANCERS THAT SHE HAD WAS PART OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATION THAT RUSH MARKS, UH, PRESENTED. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A CAR SALESMAN SPEAKING BECAUSE THEY CREATE A PROJECT AND THEN WE BEAR THE CROSS AND HAVE TO CARRY THAT CROSS AND THE BURDEN AND THE EXPENSES AND WATCH OUR COMMUNITY DEGRADE BECAUSE THERE ARE PROPERTY VALUES GO DOWN, THE VIEWS GO DOWN, AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, ONE DATA CENTER COMES, BECOMES ANOTHER AND ANOTHER, UNTIL THIS BEAUTIFUL GOD'S COUNTRY IS COVERED IN STRUCTURES THAT ONLY LAST A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME, AFTER NINE YEARS, YOU CAN'T USE THOSE BUILDINGS ANYMORE. AND THEN THEY SIT VACANT. AND HOW DO YOU CLEAR THE LAND? HOW DO YOU CLEAN UP THE POLLUTION? A NEIGHBORING COUNTY ON JULY 4TH HAD TO SHUT DOWN ONE OF THEIR CLOSED LOOP SYSTEMS BECAUSE THEY HAD CONTAMINATION. AND THAT SYSTEM WILL BE CLOSED DOWN FOR SIX MONTHS. WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COUNTY? WHAT RESOURCES DO WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE? AND GOD FORBID IF AN EVENT HAPPENS WHERE THERE'S CONTAMINATION? HAVE WE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT? IS THERE ANY DATA BEHIND IT? RUSH MARK PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING ALL THIS RESEARCH THAT THEY'VE DONE. YET WE'VE NEVER SAW ONE SHRED OUT OF EVIDENCE. NOT ONE DOCUMENT THAT SAYS THE EPA SAYS THIS IS GOOD OR THIS IS BAD. NOTHING. IT'S ALL BEEN KEPT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S UNFAIR TO THE COMMUNITY HERE BECAUSE I SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF AS WELL AS MY LATE WIFE'S BEHALF. AND I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU, IT HAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. IT HAS A MENTAL IMPACT, IT HAS A SOCIAL IMPACT, IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING. WHY CAN'T WE TAKE THAT LAND AND USE IT TO BUILD A MALL OR A PLAY CENTER FOR KIDS? PUT IT INTO SOME GOOD USE OTHER THAN A DATA CENTER. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DATA CENTERS, THOUSANDS OF THEM IN THIS COUNTRY. ERIN BROCKOVICH TALKS ABOUT IT. SHE'S GOT A MAP. WHY DO WE NEED ONE HERE? WHY DO WE HAVE TO DEPLETE OUR RESOURCES FOR SOMETHING WE DON'T NEED? [02:10:08] HI. HI, I AM ANGELA SCHROEDER. I LIVE IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT AND I WASN'T EVEN GOING TO STAY AND SPEAK BECAUSE, UM, I HATE CONFLICT AND I'D RATHER BE HOME JUST LIKE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HERE. UM, BUT I DECIDED TO STAY AND SPEAK NOT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE GROUNDBREAKING, BUT I REALLY LISTENED TO, UH, WHAT THE APPLICANT HAD TO SAY, UM, TO SUPPORT HIS APPLICATION. I DON'T HAVE MY PHONE UP HERE, . UM, AND I NOTICED THAT HE LED WITH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT STUDY, UM, BECAUSE IT WORKS IN HIS FAVOR. UM, BUT I NOTICED WAS HE WAS MISSING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY. AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE IT DOES NOT WORK IN HIS FAVOR. AND WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MIGHT SAY, THAT THERE ARE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH BRINGING THIS TYPE OF INDUSTRY HERE. I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SOLUTIONS HE OFFERED TO OUR CONCERNS. FOR EXAMPLE, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE POWER GOING OUT. WE HAVE GENERATORS, BUT I THINK HE WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR THEIR AIR CONDITIONING AND NOT FOR OURS, AND NOT FOR OUR BREATHING MACHINES THAT PEOPLE RELY ON. AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO COMPROMISE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, UM, PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY. AND I WOULD ALSO URGE YOU TO, UM, CONSIDER DENYING THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE BECAUSE, UM, THIS COMMUNITY HAS STRUGGLED WITH PAST, UM, FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS THAT WE ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM. AND I WOULD NOT WANT THIS TO BE ANOTHER DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO RECOVER FROM. I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE, THE HEALTH IMPACTS AND STATISTICS AND, AND BIOSTATISTICS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY. THEY USE ZIP CODES TO DETERMINE HOW LONG A PERSON MIGHT LIVE. AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DATA NOW TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN ZIP CODES WITH DATA CENTERS. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT PEOPLE. BUT I THINK KNOWING THAT THERE COULD BE A RISK WOULD MAKE APPROVAL NEGLIGENT. AND I'M URGING YOU TO DENY THE PROPOSAL FOR THE ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. MY NAME'S MARY FRAN CHERRY. I'M FROM THE FORK DISTRICT. WE MOVED HERE 10 AND A HALF YEARS AGO. THIS IS THE 10TH PLACE THAT I'VE LIVED THE SECOND IN VIRGINIA. MY ONLY NEXT MOVE IS TO MADOX FUNERAL HOME FOR A SHORT STOP. I LOVE FRONT, ROYAL LOVE WARREN COUNTY. LOVE THE PEOPLE. I'VE BEEN TO MANY MEETINGS OVER THE YEARS. I'VE NEVER SPOKEN. I'M NOT A SPEAKER, I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER. THERE ARE MANY MORE WELL-INFORMED PEOPLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAN ME. I SPEAK THROUGH MY PICTURES, BUT NOT TONIGHT. I'M TOTALLY OPPOSED TO THE DATA CENTERS ANYWHERE IN WARREN COUNTY. PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME'S JUDY RO AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND VOICE MY OPINION. I AM NOT FROM WARREN COUNTY. I AM FROM FREDERICK COUNTY AND MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE THE 10TH GENERATION OF MY HERITAGE. AND MY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE BEFORE 1750 AND I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T WANT A DATABASE CENTER. ALL OF US HAVE SURVIVED IN THIS BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL STATE OF VIRGINIA ALL THESE YEARS. AND I WANNA SAY FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN, PLEASE SAY NO TO THESE DATABASE CENTERS BECAUSE IT ISN'T GONNA ENRICH THE LAND AND WHAT I CONSIDER MY HOME IN ANY WAY. IT'S ONLY GONNA MAKE RICH PEOPLE RICHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS KIM HERRON. I LIVE IN THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. I LIVE ON BROWNTOWN ROAD. I CALL THIS GOD'S COUNTRY. I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD. MY DAD WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ANYBODY WOULD THINK DATA CENTERS WOULD BENEFIT [02:15:01] ANY ONE OF US IN THIS THIS ROOM. NONE OF US, NOT EVEN YOU ON THE BOARD. UH, GEORGE WASHINGTON DID SURVEY MY LAND AT 16. MY HOUSE DATES BACK TO THE 1797. NOBODY BENEFITS FROM IT. WE DON'T BENEFIT WATER, ELECTRIC MONEY, JOBS. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING OUT THERE, PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT BENEFITS THESE PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING AND THESE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN THAT YOU REPRESENT. PLEASE DENY DATA CENTERS. WE DO NOT NEED 'EM. IT'S A JOKE. AMBER MARTIN. THIS AMENDMENT WAS NOT OUT OF A COUNTY NEED. IT WAS NOT OUT, NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT WAS NOT REQUESTED BY THE CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY. IT WAS SUBMITTED BY A PRIVATE ENTITY SEEKING TO CREATE A USE THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT LISTED AS A PERMISSIBLE USE. THAT ALONE SHOULD GIVE THIS COMMISSION HESITATION, BUT MORE SO, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME. AS I'VE SPOKE ABOUT IN THE PAST MEETINGS IN 2023, RUSH MARK ATTEMPTED A PATHWAY FOR DATA CENTERS AND WAS DENIED. THEY THEN REQUESTED INDUSTRIAL ZONING WHILE ASSURING THAT THIS PROPERTY WOULD NOT BE USED FOR DATA CENTERS AND THAT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS READY TO MOVE FORWARD. THREE YEARS LATER, THOSE PROMISE PROJECTS HAVE NOT MATERIALIZED. NOW THEY'RE BACK ASKING YOU TO CHANGE THE RULES. ONCE AGAIN, IF THE PREVIOUS ASSURANCES DID NOT COME TO PASS, WHY WOULD THIS COMPANY REWRITE OUR ORDINANCE BASED ON NEW ONES? AN ORDINANCE THAT DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO ONE DEVELOPER, BUT ALL DATA CENTERS TO FOLLOW. AND TRUTHFULLY, IS THIS REALLY THE FUTURE WE WANT FOR WARREN COUNTY? OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE DOES NOT ALLOW DATA CENTERS. OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES NOT CALL FOR THEM. AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY HAD SPOKEN LOUDLY AND CONSISTENTLY THAT THEY DO NOT WANT THEM. I PROVIDED A PETITION WITH OVER 1900 SIGNATURES OF REAL RESIDENTS THAT REPRESENT WARREN COUNTY SAYING SO AND STILL HAD MORE SIGNING WHEN I LEFT. THIS IS ABOUT WHO CONTROLS THE FUTURE OF WARREN COUNTY. TONIGHT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP DECIDE THAT. DON'T ALLOW A CORPORATION TO WRITE THE RULES THAT BENEFIT ITSELF AND REWRITE OUR ORDINANCES TO SOLVE ONE COMPANY'S BUSINESS PROBLEM. PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. HONOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND RESPECT THE VOICES OF YOUR CITIZENS. AND FORWARD THIS AMENDMENT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL. WARREN COUNTY IS NOT FOR SALE. OUR ORDINANCES SHOULD NOT BE WRITTEN BY THOSE SEEKING A PROFIT FROM CHANGING THEM. DON'T BE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN BECAUSE IT WOULD BE FOREVER AS THOSE THAT OPEN THE DOOR. AND LASTLY, BARNHART. AFTER ALL MEETINGS COMBINED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, INCLUDING THE TOWN, NEARLY 300 SPEAKERS HAVE SIGNED UP IN, OUT OF ALL OF THEM, ONLY ONE HAS VOTE IN FAVOR. I HAVE NOT SEEN, UM, THE PRO DATA CENTER PEOPLE OF HOWEVER MANY YOU BELIEVE THERE IS FILLING ROOMS. SO IS THIS ENOUGH TO ADMIT THAT WE ALL REPRESENT WARREN COUNTY? THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. THAT IS THE FRONT HALF OF THE LIST. OKAY, IT IS NINE 18. WE'LL RECONVENE AT 9 38. TAKES A 20 MINUTE BREAK. THERE YOU GO. I GOT IT. NOT TO STEAL ALLISON'S THUNDER, BUT I THINK WE'RE UP TO SPEAKERS. 50 THROUGH 59. GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS KATHY KANE. I RESIDE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. MY HUSBAND AND I RECENTLY MOVED TO BLUE RIDGE SHADOWS TO ENJOY RETIREMENT IN A PEACEFUL COMMUNITY WITH VIEWS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND OUR BACKYARDS OVERLOOKING TREES. WE LOVE IT HERE. WE WERE SHOCKED AND DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT OUR PROPERTY DIRECTLY BACKS UP TO AN AREA WHERE DATA CENTERS MAY BE POTENTIALLY BUILT. LITERALLY, OUR BACKYARD WOULD BE DATA CENTERS IF THIS IS PERMITTED. BEFORE MOVING HERE, I LIVED IN LOUDOUN COUNTY FOR 25 YEARS. I'VE PER PERSONALLY WITNESSED THE DRAMATIC GROWTH OF DATA CENTERS WHERE DATA LOUDOUN IS NOW HOME TO DATA CENTER ALLEY WITH OVER 250 DATA CENTERS AND A HUNDRED MORE IN THE PIPELINE. LOUDOUN WAS [02:20:01] ONCE A LANDSCAPE OF FARMLAND AND QUIET RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES. AND NOW IT IS AN ENDLESS SEA OF DATA CENTERS. THE DATA CENTERS IN LOUDOUN IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE DECIDED TO MOVE TO FRONT ROYAL. WE WANTED A QUIETER, LESS DEVELOPED COMMUNITY. WE INVESTED OUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS IN A HOME HERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVED THAT LOUD, THAT WARREN COUNTY WOULD PRESERVE ITS RURAL CHARACTER. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DECLINE IN OUR PROPERTY VALUE AND LIVING IN A PEACEFUL, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. IN 2024, AS A RESIDENT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM NOVEC, THE ELECTRIC COMPANY THAT SERVICED MY FORMER HOME. THE LETTER INFORMED ME THAT DUE TO MASSIVE DATA CENTER GROWTH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, MY ELECTRIC BILL WAS GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR RATE INCREASE. THIS IS CONTRARY TO WHAT RUSH MARK HAS SAID HERE TONIGHT, BUT I HAD ELECTRIC BILLS TO PROVE IT. I ALSO READ THE PERMIT THAT WAS REQUESTED BY RUSH MARK AND IT SAID THEY CANNOT PROVIDE A LIST OF CHEMICALS THAT COULD BE USED, HOUSED, OR GENERATED ON THE PREMISES, OR PROVIDE A STATEMENT AS TO THE STANDARDS OF COMPLIANCE RELATIVE TO THE EMISSION AND OR RELEASE OF NOISE, THUS SMOKE GLARE, LIGHT, HEAT VIBRATION, TOXIC GASES, ET CETERA. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WILL BE IF THERE IS A DATA CENTER. PLEASE ASK YOURSELVES. CAN YOU ASSURE WARREN COUNTY CITIZENS THAT DATA CENTERS WILL NOT BE TOXIC OR POTENTIALLY CAUSE HARM TO THEM, THEIR FAMILIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT? I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER NOT RECOMMENDING DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOHN CUTTER, ACKERMAN SANO DISTRICT. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, EVERYONE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT TO THOSE OF YOU ESPECIALLY WHO HAVE TUNED IN AND REALLY MADE AN EFFORT TO LISTEN, I NOTICE THAT I THANK YOU AND I HONOR YOU. I HAVE TWO QUICK THINGS TO SAY. FIRST OF ALL, A QUOTE FROM WENDELL BERRY MEANS VERY MUCH TO ME. IT MIGHT MEAN SOMETHING TO YOU. HE SAYS, WE BORROW THE LAND FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE BORROW THE LAND FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT'S A NICE MAXIMUM, BUT HAS TO BE LIVED IN THE CONCRETE. IT HAS NO MEANING OR IMPLICATION IF IT DOESN'T COME DOWN TO MOMENTS LIKE THIS WHERE WE REALLY THINK THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. MY OTHER QUICK POINT IS THIS. SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA POINT OUT THAT THIS IS ALREADY IN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS ARE ALREADY KIND OF UN UGLY. THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN HERE. I GRANT THERE ARE SOME ALLOWABLE USES RIGHT NOW THAT PROBABLY ARE NOT SUPER IN ACCORD WITH THE WENDELL BERRY WAY OF THINKING ABOUT IT. AND WE AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT. BUT THIS IS GONNA ADD ANOTHER USE. AND CLEARLY NOT ALL USES ARE CREATED EQUAL. SOME ARE OBVIOUSLY MORE AGGRESSIVE, OFFENSIVE, PROBLEMATIC FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND IT JUST SEEMS WHY THEN WOULD WE ADD THIS ONE? LET'S WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND COME TOGETHER TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO TREAT THE LAND AS SOMETHING THAT WE BORROW FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JANE ELLIOT. I'M IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT IN ASHBURN, VIRGINIA. RESIDENTS IN UPSCALE HOMES NEAR THE VANTAGE DATA CENTER HAVE TAKEN TO LEANING THEIR MATTRESSES AGAINST THEIR WINDOWS IN ORDER TO DIM OUT TO MUFFLE THE NONSTOP NOISE FROM THE DATA CENTERS. CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING TO RESORT TO THAT? WHO IS GOING TO WANT TO MOVE INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD? WOULD YOU, DO YOU WANT THE SAME EFFECTS HERE? WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS GONNA DO TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY? JUST ONE MORE REASON TO KEEP THE WARREN COUNTY CODE UNTOUCHED. UNTAMED WITH UNCHANGED. NO AMENDMENTS, NO EXCEPTIONS, NO EMPTY PROMISES, NO DATA CENTERS HERE. NO, NO, NO. NEVER. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS LESLIE. NICE. AND I'M FROM THE SHENANDOAH [02:25:01] DISTRICT. I WORKED FOR A OL IN THE ASHBURN CAMPUS. WE HAD A SMALL DATA CENTER, ABOUT 10 PEOPLE WORKED THERE. IT WAS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO WORK. THERE WERE 5,000 EMPLOYEES ON THAT CAMPUS. 5,000 PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT BOUGHT HOUSES IN LOUDOUN COUNTY. THEY GREW LOUDOUN COUNTY, NOT THE DATA CENTER, THE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE BROUGHT IN TO WORK THE CAMPUS AFTER THE CAMP, AFTER WE LEFT THE CAMPUS. THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT CAMPUS. YOU COULD PUT ANYTHING IN THERE. YOU COULD PUT A COLLEGE IN THERE, YOU COULD HAVE PUT ANYTHING. DA UH, GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS CAME IN AND THEY UTILIZED THAT BUILDING. YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS NOW? DATA CENTERS. WHAT MAYBE 300 PEOPLE ARE ARE BEING EMPLOYED THERE. 5,000 DOWN TO 300. SECOND POINT, THERE WAS A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT BIPARTISAN IN VIRGINIA. PRETTY AMAZING, RIGHT? THE FORMER GOVERNOR STRUCK IT DOWN. AND IT WAS FOR THE, THE OVERSIGHT OF DATA CENTERS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE OVERSIGHT AND THE, THE, UM, REGULATIONS AND EVERYTHING. AND IT WAS BIPARTISAN AND IT WAS STRUCK DOWN BY THE FORMER GOVERNOR. HE DIDN'T COUNT ON ONE THING. HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO CHERRY PICK. HE WAS GIVE HE, WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS PROVIDING ALL OF YOU PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND THE RESOURCES TO DO ALL THE RESEARCH INTO DATA CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE, THE PEOPLE HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH. WE KNOW HOW BAD IT IS. AND WE'RE HANDING YOU THE INFORMATION TODAY TO MAKE A DECISION. THE GOVERNOR THOUGHT HE PUT ONE OVER ON YOU AND PUT ONE OVER ON US. BUT HE DIDN'T. HE DIDN'T BANK ON ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER AND TELLING YOU, NO, DON'T DO IT. CELESTE HORTON, NORTH RIVER. UH, HELLO AGAIN. PLANNING COMMISSIONERS. I STRUGGLED TO KNOW WHAT TO SAY TONIGHT AFTER NUMEROUS SPEECHES, AND I KNEW THAT PEOPLE WOULD COVER MOST OF THE BASES. BUT AFTER HEARING RUSH MARK SPEAK TONIGHT, I KNEW I NEEDED TO CIRCLE BACK TO ONE OF MY EARLIER SPEECHES. SO FORGIVE MY REPETITION. THE BRICKYARD DATA CENTER IN MANASSAS, WHICH CAME ONLINE LAST YEAR, IS ALREADY DISPUTING ITS REAL ESTATE TAX ASSESSMENT. THE DIGITAL REALTY DATA CENTER HAD INITIALLY ENSURED THAT THEY WOULD GENERATE 1.1 MILLION IN REAL ESTATE TAXES FOR THE CITY. HOWEVER, THE DATA CENTER DOES NOT PAY COMPUTER AND PERIPHERAL TAXES, ALSO KNOWN AS DATA CENTER TAXES BECAUSE THE COMPUTER SERVERS, IT HOUSES BELONG TO A BANK. AND UNDER STATE LAW, BANKS ARE EXEMPT FROM PAYING CERTAIN BUSINESS PROPERTY TAXES. FIVE MORE DATA CENTERS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN MANASSAS. AND YET RESIDENTS JUST GOT HIT WITH ANOTHER HIKE IN TAX BILLS AND UTILITIES AVERAGING $66 MORE A MONTH FOR ELECTRICITY. SO I'M CURIOUS, WHO IS REALLY BENEFITING HERE? LAST YEAR, THE STATE OF VIRGINIA WAIVED $1.9 BILLION IN SALES TAXES FOR DATA CENTERS. AND AS A RESULT, $267 MILLION OF REVENUE THAT WOULD'VE SUPPORTED PUBLIC K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION WAS LOST. FAIRFAX MISSING OUT ON $38 MILLION THAT WOULD'VE GONE DIRECTLY TO SCHOOLS LOUD TO NOW PUBLISH THAT SLOWING DATA CENTER REVENUE AND RISING COSTS ARE CAUSING BUDGET SHORTFALLS. AND IF THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE TO KEEP ALL STAFF FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE DIVISION WOULD SEE A $5.1 MILLION SHORTFALL BY 2030. THIS IS A COUNTY WITH OVER 200 DATA CENTERS IN OPERATION AND YET IS STILL FALLING SHORT ON REVENUE AND ON PROMISES MADE TO ITS CITIZENS. WINSTON CHURCHILL FAMOUSLY QUOTES THAT THOSE WHO FAILED TO LEARN FROM HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT. IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO BELIEVE THAT THE SAME PROMISES THAT DATA CENTERS ONCE MADE TO LOUDOUN IN MANASSAS WOULD HAVE ANY DIFFERENT OF AN OUTCOME HERE IN WARREN COUNTY. THEY'RE INCREDIBLY DECEPTIVE AND WE SEE THAT DECEPTION ON DISPLAY, PROMISES OF SCHOOLS BEING FUNDED, ROADS BEING REPAIRED, TAXES BEING LOWERED, AND YOU ALWAYS SEE ARE RISING UTILITY COSTS, WORSENING DROUGHTS, LOCALS STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS UNABLE TO PAY TEACHERS WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. IT WOULD BE FOOLISH ALSO TO BELIEVE THE NARRATIVE THAT RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCES WOULD EVER PROTECT US OR KEEP DATA CENTERS AT BAY AS EVERY SINGLE LOCALITY IN VIRGINIA THAT HAS ADDED DATA CENTERS TO THEIR CODE, EVEN WITH RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCES, HAS ENDED UP WITH THEM. RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCES AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS ARE THESE COMPANY'S TROJAN HORSE INTO OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WE SHOULD BE VERY WEARY OF ANYONE OR ANY ORGANIZATION THAT PUSHES FOR THEM. I KNOW THE DATA CENTERS HAVE PRESENTED US WITH A SILVER PLATTER FULL OF MONEY AND PROMISES TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS AND RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD PROTECT US. BUT THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES TEACHES US A DIFFERENT LESSON. LET US LEARN FROM OUR NEIGHBORS THE FATE OF THE PROMISES BROKEN TO THEM, THE DECEPTION THEY HAD FALLEN FOR. AND LET US STAND FIRM AGAINST ALLOWING DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY, PROTECT WARREN COUNTY AND RECOMMEND DENIAL OF RUSH MARK'S PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ADD DATA CENTERS TO OUR CODE. THANK YOU. EVA CHALICE. I LIVE IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. UM, I'M CURIOUS, WHAT IS OUR COMBINED VISION FOR WARREN COUNTY? DID WE MEAN IT? [02:30:01] DID WE MEAN TO BE KNOWN AS WHERE THE MOUNTAINS MEET THE RIVER WHERE SKYLINE DRIVE BEGINS? A PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT, A PLACE PEOPLE WANNA LIVE. UM, WE JUST CELEBRATED 250 YEARS OF SAYING LISTEN TO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. PLEASE VOTE NO. YOU'LL GIMME ONE MOMENT. CAN I HAVE 60 THROUGH 69? ANDREA ZINGFIELD HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT? I UNDERSTAND CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED THAT WARREN COUNTY COULD FACE LITIGATION IF IT DECLINES TO CREATE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR APPROVE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, BEFORE MAKING SUCH A SIGNIFICANT DECISION, I HOPE THE COMMISSION CAN CLARIFY WHETHER THE NECESSARY STUDIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED TO DETERMINE IF WARREN COUNTY CAN SAFELY SUPPORT NOT ONLY ONE DATA CENTER, BUT THE POTENTIALLY HAS IT STUDY BEEN CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER WARREN COUNTY WATER RESOURCES CAN SUPPORT DATA CENTERS LONG TERM. HAVE ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND POWER DEMAND IMPACTS BEEN EVALUATED? HAS ANYONE STUDIED THE CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF MULTIPLE DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY AND NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, INCLUDING IMPACTS WATER, POWER, RURAL CHARACTER, AND QUALITY OF LIFE? THESE STUDIES HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED. WILL THE COUNTY CONSIDER CONDUCTING THEM BEFORE CREATING A PATHWAY FORWARD DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT? I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT DISCUSSION IS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE RISK OF BEING SUED IF DATA CENTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED AS THE COUNTY ALSO CONSIDERED THE OPPOSITE RISK. IF DATA CENTERS ARE PERMITTED, COULD FUTURE OPERATORS SEEK ADDITIONAL WATER POWER, SUBSTATIONS, TRANSMISSIONS LINES, EXPANSIONS OR ORDINANCE CHANGES? IF THESE REQUESTS ARE DENIED, COULD THE COUNTY FACE LITIGATION? AT WHAT POINT IS WARREN COUNTY MORE LIKELY TO FACE A ONE-TIME LEGAL CHALLENGE FOR SAYING NO? OR REPEATED CHALLENGES AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND ALLOWANCES ARE REQUESTED OVER TIME? FINALLY, WHILE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, THEY CHOOSE TO ALLOW DATA CENTERS. THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN WARREN COUNTY SHOULD HAVE ACCUMULATED REGIONAL IMPACTS OF MULTIPLE COUNTIES. APPROVING DATA CENTERS BEEN STUDIED. AND IF SO, CAN THOSE STUDIES BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC? AS WILL HOLLINGWORTH STATES, WE ARE BEING ASKED TO DRAIN OUR RESERVOIR. SO A CHATBOT CAN WRITE A POEM OR SHERIFF CAN GENERATE A PICTURE OF HIMSELF STANDING NEXT TO BIGFOOT. HE ALSO ARGUED THAT A DROP OF CLEAN WATER FOR A CHILD IS WORTH MORE THAN A BILLION AI GENERATED IMAGES. WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS WHOSE RESIDENTS WE ARE APPROVED FUTURE WE ARE FIGHTING FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE ARE THE ONES DRINKING THE WATER, BREATHING THE AIR, PAYING THE TAX TAXES, AND LIVING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. THESE PEOPLE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY ARE PRESENTED BY YOU. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND WHEN MAKING THIS INCREDIBLY HUGE DECISION. ONE MORE THING. IF ORDINANCE IS MADE, PLEASE DO NOT LET THE DATA CENTER WRITE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME'S KIERAN MCGUIRE. I LIVE IN THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. UH, MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, BECAUSE MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE SINCE 1999 AND WE HAVE 22 CHIL GRANDCHILDREN IN THE AREA, UH, EITHER IN WARREN COUNTY OR IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY A FEW THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU. AS JOHN CUTTERBACK SAID, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS, UH, CIVIC EFFORT. UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM RUSH MARK. IT WAS A VERY PRO PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION, BUT ANYONE WHO'S EVER MADE A PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION, AS I HAVE DONE MANY TIMES, KNOWS THAT YOU OVERESTIMATE THE BENEFITS TO THOSE TO WHOM YOU'RE SPEAKING AND YOU UNDERESTIMATE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS. UM, SO I I CAN'T SAY THAT HIS, UH, HIS PRESENTATION HAD FACTUAL ERROR, BUT I CAN SAY THAT IT WAS AT THE VERY LEAST A A VAST OVERESTIMATION OF ANY BENEFITS. AND, AND SO LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE BENEFITS. WHO BENEFITS THE PROPERTY OWNER BENEFITS? OKAY, THERE ARE MANY PROPERTY OWNERS HERE WHO HAVE SPOKEN, AND I THINK THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO AREN'T HERE WHO WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID LARGELY TONIGHT. [02:35:01] UM, AND WHO ELSE BENEFITS? HE TALKS ABOUT POSSIBLE JOBS. WE ALL KNOW THAT DATA CENTERS DON'T REALLY PROVIDE JOBS EXCEPT TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION JOBS, MANY OF WHICH ARE FILLED BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY'RE SKILLED AT THIS PARTICULAR TASK AND THEY'RE FARMED IN AND UH, AND THEY LEAVE. SO THE LOCAL IMPACT ON, ON EMPLOYMENT WILL BE MINIMAL, MINIMAL TO THE CURRENT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. UH, LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE HARMS. A LOT OF THE HARMS HAVE BEEN MENTIONED. SOME PEOPLE HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS RESEARCH INTO MOST OF IT. I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY TWO THINGS. UH, I WAS TRAINED, EDUCATED, AND WORKED AS A PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST. AND I KNOW THAT GROUNDWATER IS, IS A VERY, VERY DELICATE THING. AND NOT ONLY IS IT DELICATE THING, BUT IT'S A NECESSITY FOR LIFE. ANYONE WHO DOUBTS THAT JUST GO OUT TO THE WATER FOUNTAIN OUT HERE OUTSIDE THE MEN'S ROOM AND TRY TO GET A DRINK OF WATER LIKE I JUST DID. THERE'S NO WATER. SO THAT'S A LITTLE, JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE, AIR, AND THEN WATER. WE DON'T KNOW THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS. IF THIS APPLICATION IS APPROVED, IF IT'S APPROVED, IT'S A FLOODGATE. WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST RUSH. MARK AND I, I ENCOURAGE YOU VERY STRONGLY TO DENY THIS APPLICATION AND I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH AN ATHEISM THAT HAS A LOT OF WISDOM. IF IT'S NOT FIXED, IF, EXCUSE ME, IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JACINTO WHITING, UM, NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US HERE TODAY. UM, I MOVED TO FRONT ROYAL AS A KID IN 1989. AND UM, I CURRENTLY, UM, RESIDE NORTH OF TOWN WITH MY HUSBAND AND OUR EIGHT BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN. MOST OF MY 11 SIBLINGS LIVE IN THE AREA RAISING THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL. AND WE LOVE THIS AREA. SINCE I'M OFTEN AT HOME, I DON'T OFTEN GO TO DC. I RECENTLY DROVE TOWARDS DC AND I WAS COMPLETELY DEVASTATED BY WHAT I SAW. THE CONCRETE, THE JUST TOTAL DESOLATION OF THE LANDSCAPE, THAT IS COMPLETELY CHANGED. AND I HAVE NOTICED SO MANY DEER RUNNING THROUGH MY BACKYARD, EVEN IN TOWN. THE DEER ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THEY ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM THE DATA CENTERS. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO EAT. I'VE NEVER HAD SO MUCH DAMAGE TO MY HOSTAS, MY ROSES, MY GARDEN IS BEING EATEN BY THESE CREATURES THAT ARE JUST MIGRATING WEST AND LARGE FLOCKS OF BIRDS HAVE BEEN FLYING THROUGH AS WELL. THE ANIMALS ARE LEAVING THE AREA BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND ANY FOOD. AND NOT ONLY THE ANIMALS, BUT THE PEOPLE HAVE AN AMAZING IMPACT. EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, THESE DATA CENTERS IMPACT OUR OWN FAMILIES AS THEY DUMP THEIR PROBLEMS ON US. AND IN JUST A FEW YEARS, THEY'LL BE OBSOLETE AND WE WILL NOT KNOW HOW TO REMOVE THEM PROPERLY. THERE ARE LEECHES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY DO NOT GIVE ANYTHING BACK OTHER THAN A FEW MINUSCULE DOLLARS. OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, MANY BUSINESSES HAVE SPRUNG UP IN OUR COMMUNITY CLEARING OUT LOCAL FARMS, LOCAL HOMES. WE DON'T WANT IT GETTING ANY WORSE. VIRGINIA ALREADY HAS THE DUBIOUS DISTINCTION OF BEING THE DATA CENTER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. WE DON'T NEED TO ADD ANY MORE DATA CENTERS, AS WAS SO CLEARLY SPELLED OUT AT THE PREVIOUS TOWN MEETING. AND HERE, THIS IS A TROJAN HORSE. ALL IT TAKES FOR EVIL TO TRIUMPH IS FOR GOOD MEN SUCH AS YOURSELVES. TO DO NOTHING IN OUR AGE, WE MUST BE BRAVE. THIS IS AN AGE WHERE COURAGE IS REQUIRED FOR SURVIVAL. TODAY YOU CAN MAKE HISTORY BY BUCKING THE TREND, BY TAKING A BOLD STAND. AS EARLIER SPEAKERS HAVE OUTLINED, AND AS EVEN MR. DOTY HAS ADMITTED, YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO REGULATE OUR LOCAL BUSINESS IN THIS AREA, YOU CAN SAY NO. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY AND THE POWER TO SAY NO. AND WE WILL REMEMBER HOW YOU ACTED TONIGHT. WE HAVE SO MANY REASONS TO BE PROUD OF OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTY. WE MUST PROTECT THE LIFE ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE. WE MUST PROTECT IT. THANK YOU. I AM CURTIS SMITH FROM NORTH RIVER DISTRICT AND UM, THE, THE MAN FROM RUSH MARK STARTED OFF TELLING US THAT THEY BOUGHT THE [02:40:01] LAND FOR WAREHOUSING. UM, I, THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, AND I HEARD THE SAME THING FROM SLATE RUN FARMS WHEN THEY CHANGED THEIR PROPERTY FROM AGRICULTURAL TO INDUSTRIAL. UH, WE'RE CLOSE TO THE INLAND, UH, PORT, SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING WAREHOUSING, WHICH IS AMAZING BECAUSE THE INLAND PORT DOESN'T USE WAREHOUSING. IT ALL COMES IN ON TRAINS, GETS LOADED ON A, ON THE TRUCKS IN A WAY THEY GO. SO THAT'S THE FIRST POINT OF BS, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING, THAT YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH. THE SECONDLY IS, UM, COOLING THE STORAGE UNITS IN A DATA CENTER REQUIRE COOLING. AND HE MENTIONED GLYCOL, WHICH IS THE SAME THAT'S IN YOUR CAR RADIATOR. UH, BUT YOUR CAR RUNS AT ABOUT 200 DEGREES TEMP WATER TEMPERATURE. YOU CANNOT STORE DATA AT 200 DEGREES. WHEN I WAS ON THE SUBMARINES, OUR COMPUTER AREAS WERE KEPT AT A STEADY 63 DEGREES SO THAT THAT EQUIPMENT DID NOT OVERHEAT. AND WE HAD TO HAVE 2, 450 TON AIR CONDITIONERS TO SUPPORT THAT ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER AIR CONDITIONING LOADS THAT ARE ON A SUBMARINE. BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT THE STORAGE UNITS REQUIRE COOLING AND, AND, UH, GLYCOL, IT CAN ABSORB THE HEAT, BUT THEN YOU'VE GOTTA COOL IT AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE EITHER USE AIR CONDITIONING, WHICH REQUIRES WATER OR YOU'RE GONNA COOL WITH WATER OR WHATEVER METHOD THEY THINK THEY CAN USE. SO I'M HERE TO SAY SEND A DENIAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA GET THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE TALKING TO THEM SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE RESIDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY, WE DO NOT WANT DATA CENTERS. THAT'S IT. HI, RUTH FURR, UH, HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. SO I HAD A SPEECH, I'M NOT READING IT. UM, MOST OF EVERYTHING THAT'S IN IT HAS BEEN COVERED. I WANNA START OFF BY JUST SAYING THAT, UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME FOR, I KNOW IT'S TOUGH SITTING THERE AND, AND LISTENING TO ALL THIS MAYBE. BUT, UM, WANNA THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. UM, I JUST WANNA ASK THAT YOU PUT THE COMMUNITY ABOVE DOLLAR SIGNS. UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, EVALUATE, TAKE WHAT'S BEEN SAID, UM, MAYBE DO SOME OF YOUR OWN RESEARCH. WELL I GUESS YOU'RE VOTING TONIGHT, BUT, UM, JUST VOTE NO OR VOTE TO DENY IT, THE CHANGE. UM, AND I ALSO WANNA TELL YOU A STORY. UM, SO I'M A WIDOW OF THREE YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS AND IN MY HEALING JOURNEY IN THE LAST MONTH, I'VE BEEN GOING UP TO SIGNAL, SIGNAL KNOB OVERLOOK JUST ABOUT EVERY EVENING TO WATCH THE SUNSET. AND IT, IT HAS BEEN PART OF MY HEALING JOURNEY. I WAS UP THERE JULY 4TH, UM, AND AS Y'ALL KNOW, PEOPLE WITH THE FIREWORKS AND YOU KNOW HOW THE BOOMS AND THEN THE DELAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE AND LIGHT AND SOUND AND THAT D DISTANCE. SO I WAS LISTENING TO THAT AND YOU, IT WAS CRAZY HOW ALL UP AND DOWN THE VALLEY FROM STANDING THERE, WE COULD SEE MIDDLETOWN'S FIREWORKS, UM, STRASBURG'S WAS AROUND THE MOUNTAIN. WE COULD SEE THEIR LIGHTS, WE COULD SEE WOODSTOCK, WE COULD SEE LARAY, THE LIGHTS GOING OFF AND ALL THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT THE WAY THE SOUND WAS CARRYING. SO I'M JUST ADDRESSING THE SOUND BECAUSE THAT WAS MY RECENT EXPERIENCE. WE ARE THE NORTHERN ENTRANCE TO THE SKYLINE DRIVE. WE ARE THE CANOE CAPITAL OF VIRGINIA. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT WE STAND FOR. AND I'VE RECENTLY BEEN READING A LOT OF, UH, BOOKS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HIKED THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL AND THEIR HEALING JOURNEY. AND WE HAVE THAT GOING RIGHT THROUGH OUR BACKYARDS AND WE DON'T WANNA RUIN THAT. THAT BRINGS TOURISM AND THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE, UM, TO REALLY TAKE, I MEAN EVERYTHING YOU'RE HEARING, THE WATER, THE SOUND, ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND JUST I ASK THAT YOU DENY AND I'M NOT USING ALL MY TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI, I'M MARK FENDOR. I'M THE SHENANDOAH [02:45:01] RIVER KEEPER AND I'M A RESIDENT OF PAGE COUNTY. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I URGE YOU TO REJECT RUSHMORE'S REQUEST TO ADD THE LANGUAGE TO ALLOWING DATA CENTERS TO BE PERMITTED IN WARREN COUNTY. IN PLACE OF THAT, WHAT I ALSO URGE YOU TO DO IS TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THE CREATION OF A REGIONAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY DATA CENTER WATER POLICY COMMISSION. SUCH A COMMISSION WOULD PROVIDE THE INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE, REGIONAL COORDINATION, AND PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY NEEDED TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL LAND USE DECISIONS OUR REGION HAS EVER FACED. JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD HELP RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE WHETHER JUSTIFIED OR NOT MANY VALLEY RESIDENTS BELIEVE DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS HAVE ALREADY GAINED UNDUE INFLUENCE OVER LOCAL DECISION MAKING. THAT PERCEPTION ALONE ERODES TRUST. AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION OF EXPERTS, HYDROLOGISTS ECONOMISTS, ENGINEERS, GEOLOGISTS, FARMERS CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS, ALL COME TOGETHER TO HELP ENSURE THAT DECISIONS ARE GUIDED BY SOUND SCIENCE RATHER THAN SPECULATION POLITICS OR PRESSURE FROM ANY SINGLE INTEREST. SADLY, DATA CENTERS, THEY'RE COMING TO THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER THEY WILL ARRIVE, BUT WHETHER WE WILL HAVE A REGIONAL STRATEGY IN PLACE BEFORE THEY DO WATER DESERVES PARTICULAR ATTENTION, DEPENDING UPON THEIR COOLING SYSTEMS. DATA CENTERS CAN REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL WATER RESOURCES IN A VALLEY EXPERIENCING RECURRING DROUGHT, DECLINING GROUNDWATER LEVELS, AND INCREASING COMPETITION FOR LIMITED SUPPLIES. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO EVALUATE PROJECTS ONE AT A TIME WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THEIR COLLECTIVE IMPACTS. THIS COMMISSION WOULD NOT DECIDE WHETHER INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS SHOULD BE APPROVED. ITS PURPOSE WOULD BE TO DEVELOP SCIENCE-BASED REGIONAL STANDARDS, EVALUATE COMMUN CUMULATIVE WATER DEMANDS, IDENTIFY BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, AND PROVIDE INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL GUIDANCE TO LOCAL OFFICIALS LIKE YOU FACING EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLEX DECISIONS. THE SHENANDOAH RIVER, OUR AQUIFERS AND OUR WATERSHED DO NOT RECOGNIZE COUNTY BOUNDARIES. OUR PLANNING. SHE EITHER BY ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY DATA CENTER WATER POLICY COMMISSION, WARREN COUNTY CAN DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP, TRANSPARENCY AND RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M MILES MCCORD FROM THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. I'M HERE TO URGE THE COMMITTEE, THE COMMISSION TO DENY THE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE I'M OPPOSED TO THE DATA CENTERS COMING TO THIS COUNTY. AND THE REASON OF THAT BASIS FOR THAT, UH, POSITION IS THAT THE HARM THAT IT'S BEEN GOING TO BRING TO THE COUNTY, TO THE PEOPLE IN THE LAND OF THIS COUNTY. AND THAT'S BEEN ELOQUENTLY SPOKEN BY MANY PEOPLE BEFORE ME. UH, I WILL NOTE THAT JUST NOW LISTENING TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE MICROPHONE, WITH, WITH THE CELL PHONES, POTENTIALLY THE, IT'S UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. THAT'S A RATHER HIGH TECHNOLOGY, BUT A VERY SMALL SCALE. IMAGINE WHAT THE INTENDED CONSEQUENCES COULD BE WHEN YOU SCALE UP TO A DATA CENTER NOW DOWN THE ROAD, I'LL NOTE TOO THAT, UH, THIS IS, UH, THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE THAT ARE FOUNDING FATHERS THAT DID A PUSHBACK AGAINST THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT TO 'CAUSE THEY HAD IGNORED THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE AMERICAS. AND A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THAT, UH, FOUNDING FATHERS WAS DR. JOSEPH WARREN AND WHO WAS THE NAMESAKE THAT THIS COUNTY IS NAMED AFTER. AND I WOULD THINK THAT IF DR. WARREN HAD A, HAD A NOTION THAT THE VOICES OF THIS PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY WERE BEING IGNORED OR DISMISSED, UH, HE WOULD BE APPALLED IN AGHAST THAT ANY SUCH THING WOULD HAPPEN IN UNDER A COUNTY UNDER HIS NAME. I ALSO ADD ANOTHER STATEMENT. I THINK THAT IT EMPHASIZES THE, UH, IMPORTANCE OF WHAT DENIAL WILL MEAN. AND IT COMES FROM A STATEMENT THAT I WILL, IT'S IN THE TOP GUN MOVIE FROM THE ORIGINAL SCENE, UH, MOVIE. AND I'LL PARAPHRASE IT. AND BASICALLY SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE WRITING YOU PROMISING YOU BIG CHECKS, BUT NEITHER THE SHENANDOAH RIVER, THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY, OR THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS WILL BE ABLE TO CATCH AT ALL. AND IT'S GIVEN THAT THIS COUNTY IS ONE OF ITS EMPHASIS IS THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE EMBLEM, THAT'S GONNA BE PUT AT RISK IF WE ALLOW, UH, DATA CENTERS INTO THIS REGION. AND I WOULD THINK THAT DR. WARREN, IF HE WAS AROUND STILL, HE WOULD APPROVE THE MESSAGE I CONVEYED TONIGHT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S KAYLEE TANNER AND I'M FROM NEIGHBORING STRASBURG. THE VOTE [02:50:01] TONIGHT IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN ADDING A LAND USE TO YOUR ZONING ORDINANCE. IT'S ABOUT DECIDING WHAT BELONGS AT THE FRONT DOOR OF SHENANDOAH VALLEY. WARREN COUNTY HAS A UNIQUE RESPONSIBILITY AS THE GATEKEEPERS OF SHENANDOAH VALLEY. FOR COUNTLESS PEOPLE TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 81 AND INTERSTATE 66, THIS COUNTY IS THEIR FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE VALLEY. THAT GIVES YOU A RESPONSIBILITY THAT EXTENDS BEYOND YOUR COUNTY LINE. THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE HERE HELP DEFINE HOW THE ENTIRE SHENANDOAH VALLEY IS SEEN. ONCE DATA CENTERS ARE BECOME AN ALLOWED USE, THE CONVERSATION IS NO LONGER IF THEY BELONG, IT BECOMES WHERE THEY BELONG. AND THAT'S A DECISION THAT WILL SHAPE WARREN COUNTY FOR GENERATIONS. IF THE GATEWAY OPENS THE DOOR, THE PRESSURE WILL NOT STOP HERE. IT WILL MOVE THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY AND THAT'S WHY YOUR DECISION CARRIES RESPONSIBILITY BEYOND THESE LINES. JUST TONIGHT, WITHIN THE LAST HOUR, FREDERICK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO HAVE THE PLANNING STAFF DRAFT A RESOLUTION TO REMOVE DATA CENTERS FROM ALL ZONING IN THEIR COUNTY. THIS MATTERS BECAUSE THESE THINGS DON'T BELONG IN OUR VALLEY. AND I APOLOGIZE RESPECTFULLY TO THE RIVER GUY, AS LONG AS IT'S UP TO THE PEOPLE AND YOU LISTEN, THEY'RE NOT COMING TO THIS VALLEY. HUMANITY HAS A TENDENCY TO FORGET ITS LINEAGE AND WE INHERIT NAMES, PLACES, AND FREEDOMS, BUT OVER TIME WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PRINCIPLES THAT GAVE THEM MEANING. AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE A SHORT HISTORY LESSON BECAUSE YORK COUNTY WAS NAMED IN HONOR OF DR. JOSEPH WARREN, THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERO WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN BATTLE AT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. HE WAS HONORED BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO DEFEND SOMETHING GREATER THAN HIMSELF. EVEN THE NAME WARREN CARRIES A FITTING MEANING BECAUSE HISTORICALLY IT MEANS DEFENDER AND PROTECTOR AND GAMEKEEPER, SOMEONE ENTRUSTED WITH CARING FOR AND GUARDING A PIECE OF LAND AND THE LIFE WITHIN IT. IN HIS LATTER, IN HIS LAST LETTER TO HIS MOTHER, DR. WARREN IS QUOTED TO HAVE WRITTEN WHERE DANGER IS, DEAR MOTHER, THERE MUST YOUR SON BE, I WILL SET AMERICA FREE OR DIE. AND IT'S UPON THIS PATRIOTISM AND LEGACY, WHICH THE COUNTY OF WARREN WAS FOUNDED. DR. JOSEPH WARREN HAD TO SACRIFICE HIS LIFE TO DEFEND AND PROTECT. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SHUT THE DOOR TO A PREDATOR WHO'S TRYING TO STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY YOUR COUNTY. TONIGHT I ASK YOU TO HONOR THE LEGACY BEHIND YOUR COUNTY'S NAME, BE ITS DEFENDER, BE ITS KEEPER, RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. MY NAME'S ADAM BITNER. I'M FROM THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. THANK YOU ALL WHO ARE UP THERE WHO HAVE MADE DUE RESPECT TO ALL YOUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT. AND THE OTHERS, MAN, RECUSE YOURSELF. UM, LET'S GET DOWN TO BRASS TAX. SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE ABOUT MONEY, UM, THEY'RE PROPOSING $2.4 MILLION TO COME AS 2% TAX INCOME. WE'VE HAD PROPERTY INCREASES OF 18%. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA GET NINE MORE OF THESE TO HELP OFFSET THAT? ALL THESE OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE HAD FURTHER INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAXES DUE TO DATA CENTERS BEING RIGHT NEXT TO 'EM. SO WE'VE GOT 9, 10, 11, 12 MORE COMING. HOW MANY, FURTHERMORE, DATA CENTERS IN WHOLE WERE EXEMPT OF 1.9 MIL BILLION DOLLARS, $1.9 BILLION LAST YEAR. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT THAT 2.4 MILLION IS OF THAT POINT? 12% ENOUGH SAID. UM, PLEASE DENY, DENY DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY DENY ANY LANGUAGE THAT WOULD INCLUDE THEM. DENY, DENY, DENY, RECUSE OURSELVES OFF ELIZABETH BITNER SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. I HAVE A DETAILED LIST OF REASONS WHY DATA CENTERS WOULD HARM OUR BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY AND THE THINGS WE LOVE MOST ABOUT IT, MOST OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN COVERED BY MY FELLOW CITIZENS. SO INSTEAD I WILL SHARE THIS. WE DO NOT WANT THEM HERE OR THERE. WE DO NOT WANT THEM ANYWHERE. NOT BY THE CREEK, NOT ON THE HILL, NOT WHERE THE NIGHT IS QUIET AND STILL THEY HUM AND BUZZ AND NEVER SLEEP. THEY DRINK A POWER STACK SO DEEP THEY BLINK WITH LIGHTS AND ENDLESS ROW WHILE TRAFFIC GROWS AND OUR RIVER SLOWS. OUR ROADS ARE SMALL, OUR SKIES ARE WIDE. WE LIKE OUR STARS. WE SEE OUTSIDE. [02:55:02] WE LIKE OUR HOME, BOTH CALM AND SLOW. WHERE WINDING RIVERS GENTLY FLOW. BUT GIANT BOXES, STEEL AND WIRE CAN CRANK THE NOISE AND HEAT MUCH HIGHER. THEY B BRING BIG GRIDS. THEY DRAW BIG LOADS AND CHANGE THE SHAPE OF COUNTRY ROADS. SO LET THEM RISE IN PLACES PLANNED WHERE HEAVY POWER MEETS DEMAND. BUT HERE WE'D LIKE OUR CLEAN, QUIET AIR. WE DO NOT WANT THEM ANYWHERE. PLEASE RECOMMEND TO DENY THIS IN ANY FUTURE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT WOULD ALLOW ETT IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHRIS ANDERSON. I AM THE PAGE IN WARDEN COUNTY COORDINATOR FOR ALLIANCE FOR THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. UH, WITH OUR OFFICES IN NEW MARKET, OUR MISSION IS TO INFORM AND ENGAGE PEOPLE TO PROTECT THE NATURAL RESOURCES, CULTURAL HERITAGES AND RURAL CHARACTER OF OUR REGION. UH, I'M JUST, I'M GONNA KEEP THIS REALLY, UM, SHORT AND SWEET. UM, DATA CENTERS ARE A COMPLEX ISSUE ISSUE, BUT THE DECISION IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING IS NOT COMPLEX AT ALL. I URGE YOU TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT. THE LANGUAGE SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT IS INADEQUATE TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND, UH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN WARREN COUNTY. UM, THAT LEAVES A LOT OF QUESTIONS UNANSWERED AND I THINK IT'S JUST VERY CLEAR TO YOU ALL AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM ALL THE ELOQUENT SPEAKERS THIS EVENING, THAT, UH, THE RIGHT DECISION IS TO JUST RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE TEXT AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. CAN I GET 70 THROUGH 79 PLEASE? THANK YOU. CHERYL ACKERMAN, NORTH RI RIVER DISTRICT. I COME BEFORE YOU, NOT WITH A LOT OF FACTS AND FIGURES THAT COME TO YOU WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. UM, I WORKED IN LOUDOUN COUNTY, UM, FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I ACTUALLY WORKED IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY AS WELL AS LIVED THERE AND WAS A RESIDENT THERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. MOVED TO FRONT ROYAL, UM, TO, UH, HAVE A SLOWER PACE AND A QUIETER, UH, SENSE OF LIFE. UM, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IN LOUDOUN COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, THE MANY PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, I'VE SPOKEN TO THEM, UM, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE PRINCE WILLIAM IS NEWER COMING ON THE SCENE WITH THE DATA CENTERS. AND I WANNA TELL YOU THAT NOT ONE PERSON THAT I SPOKE TO IS RECOMMENDING DATA CENTERS IN ANY OTHER AREAS AFTER THEY HAVE SEEN THEM IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT WITHIN THE LAST 48 HOURS, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY BORDER SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUSLY REJECTED PLANS FOR A 2000 ACRE DATA CENTER CITING ENVIRONMENT AMONG OTHER THINGS, ENVIRONMENTAL HARM AND A DESIRE TO PROTECT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS LIVING NEARBY AS THEY'RE, AS THEY'RE DECIDING FACTORS. SO I JUST ASKED YOUR ASK YOU TO ASK YOURSELF WHY IF PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY WHO HAS APPROVED THESE DATA CENTERS AND THEY HAVE MULTIPLE DATA CENTER PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE AS WELL AS, UM, THAT ARE UP AND FUNCTIONING, THINKS THIS VENTURE OR AVENUE IS SO LUCRATIVE, THEN WHY HAVE, HAVE WE SEEN TWO MAJOR PROJECTS ESSENTIALLY KILLED BEFORE THEY HAVE GOTTEN STARTED, I URGE YOU TO VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF ANY TEXT AMENDMENT REGARDING DATA CENTER USAGE TO THE BOARD AS SUPERVISORS. THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M ELIZABETH STONEY. I REPRESENT THE FORK RIGHT NEAR THE GOVERNMENT CENTER. SO I'D LIKE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON, UM, INDEPENDENCE DAY. TO ME IT REPRESENTS MUCH MORE THAN COOKOUT THAN FIREWORKS. IT REPRESENTS THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WRITTEN BY ONE OF VIRGINIA'S GREATEST PRESIDENTS, THOMAS JEFFERSON. THIS GREAT DOCUMENT STATES THAT OUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS OR LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH. DATA CENTERS THREATEN EVERY ONE OF THESE RIGHTS. I APPLAUD EVERY COURAGEOUS PERSON WHO HAS SPOKEN BEFORE ME AND GIVEN ME THE COURAGE TO SPEAK. DATA CENTERS NOT ONLY THREATEN OUR HEALTH, BUT ALSO THE HEALTH OF ANIMALS. THE POLLINATORS, OUR CROPS ILLNESSES ARE CAUSED BY STRESS, LOW QUALITY OF [03:00:01] LIFE. PLEASE HEAR WHAT WE ARE TELLING YOU. THE BROWN TAP WATER DISCOVERED BY A WOMAN WHO LIVED 100 YARDS FROM A DATA CENTER. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ONE OF THE KENTUCKY RESIDENTS? WHEN A DATA CENTER WANTED TO REMOVE, DIG UP BODIES FROM A GRAVE SITE, THE KENTUCKY RESIDENTS PROTESTED AND THEY WERE THREATENED WITH A LAWSUIT. LIBERTY IS OUR FREEDOM TO SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS WITHOUT HAVING TO BE THREATENED WITH A LAWSUIT. WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE OUR HOMES. A FARMER HAS THE RIGHT TO GROW HIS CROPS. WE DO NOT LIVE IN A COMMUNIST COUNTRY. BUT DATA CENTERS ARE, ARE ABUSING THE IMMINENT DOMAIN LAW. THEY'RE SNATCHING LAND AWAY FROM FARMERS. THEY'RE DINGING UP SOMEONE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY TO PUT ELECTRICAL OUTLETS UNDER THEIR PRIVATE YARDS, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. YOU HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHARED THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT HOW DATA CENTERS WILL INFRINGE ON THEIR PEACE OF MIND. THEIR LAWSUITS INFRINGE ON OUR FREEDOM OF WILL. OUR EMOTIONS ARE AN OVERDRIVE BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL ANXIETY AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON OUR HEALTH FROM DATA CENTERS. OUR SOUL CONSISTS OF OUR MIND WILL AND OUR EMOTIONS. WE'RE IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. YOU HEARD AMBER MARTIN SAY THAT WARREN COUNTY IS NOT FOR SALE. SO I WANNA ASK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GOVERNING FRONT ROYAL ARE YOUR SOULS FOR SALE? UH, JERRY PARS, UH, FORK FORK DISTRICT, UH, I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS. WARREN COUNTY FRONT ROYAL ALREADY GOES THROUGH VOLUNTARY, MANDATORY AND EMERGENCY WATER RESTRICTIONS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THAT ALONE MAKES HIGH VOLUME WATER USER USER UNACCEPTABLE. BUT THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT FRONT ROYAL IS DOWN RIVER. IF WARREN COUNTY APPROVES DATA CENTERS OR IF ANY COUNTY UP RIVER APPROVES THEM, FRONT ROYAL HAS NO SAY YET WE TAKE THE HIT. ONCE THOSE FACILITIES ARE BUILT UPSTREAM, OUR WATER SUPPLY IS PERMANENTLY AFFECTED. WE CANNOT VOTE OUR WAY OUT OF THAT. AND HERE'S THE PART THAT MATTERS FOR THIS BOARD. WARREN COUNTY CANNOT FORCE UPRIVER COUNTIES TO SAY NO. BUT WARREN COUNTY CAN ONLY NEGOTIATE REGIONAL PROTECTIONS IF WARREN COUNTY SAYS NO FIRST. IF WE APPROVE DATA CENTERS, EVERY COUNTY UPSTREAM WILL POINT TO OUR APPROVAL AS JUSTIFICATION FOR THOSE. WE LOSE ALL LEVERAGE TO DEMAND COORDINATION, SHARED STANDARDS OR WATER IMPACT AGREEMENTS. ONCE AN UPRIVER COUNTY APPROVES A DATA CENTER FRONT, ROYAL CAN'T RESTRICT ITS WATER USE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. SO LET ME MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR. IF WARREN COUNTY SAYS YES, WE'RE TELLING EVERY COUNTY UPSTREAM THAT DATA CENTER WATER USE IS ACCEPTABLE. IF WE SAY NO, WE'RE TELLING THEM THAT IT'S NOT. THAT'S THE ONLY LEVERAGE THAT WE HAVE. AND ONCE WE GIVE IT AWAY, WE DON'T GET IT BACK. UNTIL WE HAVE A WATER SYSTEM THAT CAN SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LIVE HERE WITHOUT ANNUAL EMERGENCY RESTRICTIONS, THE RESPONSIBLE ANSWER IS NO. HI, NANCY RIO FROM THE PORK DISTRICT. I DID NOT PLAN TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT AFTER LISTENING TO EVERYTHING THAT, UH, MY FELLOW RESIDENTS HAVE SAID, I PLEASE IMPLORE YOU TO DENY THIS. PERFECT. HI, MY NAME IS CAROL PHILLIPS AND I AM FROM THE HAPPY, HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT AND I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH NOOB UTILITIES BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THAT MEANS WE PROVIDE DRINKING WATER TO 4 98 HOMES LOCATED ON HIGH N. SO OBVIOUSLY I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY CURRENTLY. AS WE ALL KNOW, THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY IN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS UNDER A DROUGHT WARNING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE YEARS. I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SECRET THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, MANDATORY EMERGENCY WATER RESTRICTIONS. AND ACTUALLY BECAUSE OF THIS HIGH KNOB HAS, UM, STEPPED UP AND WE'VE ASKED OUR RESIDENTS TO UM, WE WE PUT OURSELVES UNDER A VOLUNTARY WATER RESTRICTION JUST BECAUSE WE SEE WHAT'S COMING, THE WATER, WE WE CAN MEASURE THE PRODUCTION OF OUR WATER ON THE MOUNTAIN. AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT EVERY YEAR THE PRODUCTION IS DROPPING AND DROPPING [03:05:01] AND DROPPING. SO WE ASK OUR RESIDENTS FOR A VOLUNTARY WATER RESTRICTION IN ORDER TO DO OUR PART TO PRESERVE WATER FOR THE COUNTY. IT DOES NOT JUST AFFECT HIGH KNOB THE WATER RESOURCES. WE GOT AQUIFERS, WE GOT SPRINGS, WE GOT GROUNDWATER. AND IT JUST DOESN'T SERVE IN A, IT SERVES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. IT SERVES THE ENTIRE REGION. SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WE'RE DOING OUR PART VOLUNTARY WATER RESTRICTIONS. I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE DO YOUR PART AND DENY DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY BECAUSE IT'S GONNA AFFECT EVERYBODY. WE'RE DOING OUR PART. ARE YOU DOING YOURS? THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS EMILY MELLY AND I LIVE IN THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND FOR HEARING US ALL. I'VE BEEN A PERMANENT RESIDENT IN THE WARREN COUNTY FOR ONLY ABOUT SIX MONTHS, BUT I WENT TO COLLEGE IN THIS AREA FOR FOUR YEARS. I USED TO LIVE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, BUT AFTER A LITTLE WHILE, I FELT THE PULL TO RETURN TO THIS AREA AND I DID. AS HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT IS WORTH REITERATING. NOT ONLY WILL DATA CENTERS HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND JUST DISRUPT THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THIS AREA, THEY, THEY'LL MOST LIKELY REQUIRE EXCESSIVE ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, LEADING TO HIGHER ELECTRICITY AND WATER BILLS PER COUNTY RESIDENTS. PRIVATE PROPERTY VALUE WILL GO DOWN, PUBLIC PROPERTY VALUE WILL GO UP. IT'S A LOSE LOSE SITUATION FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS, FAMILIES, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. DATA CENTERS WILL ALSO BE DETRIMENTAL TO SMALL BUSINESSES OF WHICH THIS COUNTY HAS SO MANY AND ON WHICH THIS AREA RELIES. THERE'S A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL YOUNG FAMILIES IN THIS AREA AND WE SAW A COUPLE OF BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES EARLIER THIS NIGHT. LET'S PRESERVE THIS AREA FOR THEM, FOR MY GENERATION AS IT HAS, AS IT HAS BEEN PRESERVED FOR GENERATIONS BEFORE US. NOT ALL CHANGE IS GOOD CHANGE. NOT ALL PROGRESS ACTUALLY GETS US ANYWHERE. THE GENTLEMAN FROM BRUSH MARK SAID THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS THE MOST LOGICAL LOCATION FOR A DATA CENTER IN WARREN COUNTY, BUT WE DON'T WANT THIS DATA CENTER AND WE DON'T WANT ONE ANYWHERE. AND HONESTLY, THE BIGGEST REASON OF ALL TO OPPOSE THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT IS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE PRESENT ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF IT. SO PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PURPOSES. ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS PATIENCE FRANCIS. I LIVE IN FORK DISTRICT. UM, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT MEN DRESSED IN FANCY SUITS AND TIES ARE PAID TO LIE TO YOU AND TO US. BUSINESS MODEL MAKES THE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE TO BUILD MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS MODEL. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE HERE AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE AFTER OUR BEAUTIFUL LAND. IT'S NOT TO BETTER OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND DEFINITELY NOT TO GIVE THEIR MONEY AWAY. AND WHY ARE THERE ORDINANCES IN PLACE FOR SMALL PROPERTIES BUT ALL OF THEM JUST MAGICALLY DISAPPEAR? FOR THE MONSTROSITIES THAT COME ON IN THE ANSWER SIMPLE, IT'S MONEY PROMISED, USUALLY NOT DELIVERED WITH THE TAX BREAKS ALREADY MENTIONED. BUT NOW I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL SEEN AND HEARD A LOT OF FOOTAGE AND ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST AND HAVING DATA CENTERS IN WARREN COUNTY. I HOPE YOU HEAR EVERYONE OUT TODAY AND REALLY THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT YOU'RE HAVING ON THE GENERATIONS. THAT YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS BEAUTIFUL REGION. YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDING DOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN AND LOVED ONE'S FUTURE ENVIRONMENT. THERE IS NO ARGUMENT THAT COULD POSSIBLY SWAY SOMEONE'S OPINION TO TURN IN DRINKING WATER. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL STREAMS AND RIVERS FOR NOISE POLLUTION AND MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES. THESE ISSUES ARE NOT, THEY'RE NOW JUST COMING OUT AND BEING INVESTIGATED AND PROVEN. THERE'S A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT MY HISTORY OF FRONT ROYAL. MY DAUGHTER DANCED ON THIS STAGE PLENTY OF TIMES. I RAISED MY CHILDREN HERE. I WAS A SINGLE MOM WORKING IN DIFFERENT NURSING HOMES AND I STILL AM WITH THE ELDERLY IN THIS AREA. I LIVE AND I WORK HERE AND I LOVE IT HERE. I LOVE MY CHILDREN AND I LOVE MY JOB. I LOVE MY LOCATION. AND FRONT ROYAL IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT IN MANY, MANY REGARDS. IN FACT, FRONT ROYAL IS ACTUALLY THE PERFECT SO-CALLED SMART CITY. IF YOU WANT TO GO THERE, CONVENIENCE AND BEAUTY ALL IN ONE. AND IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT. AND THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE BEAUTIFUL TOWN. AND ONE LAST POINT. UM, MY DAUGHTER DIED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. HER RESTING SPOT IS ON THE HILL. A GOOD HOPE CEMETERY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW OR NOT, BUT ONCE DATA CENTERS START COMING IN [03:10:01] HERE AND THEY WILL, UH, TAKE FARMLAND, HOMES, BUSINESSES, AND YES, EVEN CEMETERIES WITH EM EMINENT DOMAIN. THIS IS INHUMANE. I RECOMMEND DENIAL. THE CHANGE OF ORDINANCE FOR ALLOWANCE OF DATA CENTERS TO BUILD IN WARREN COUNTY. OR AT LEAST A MORATORIUM FOR NOW UNTIL FURTHER RESEARCH CAN BE DONE. THANK YOU. CAN I GET 80 THROUGH 89 PLEASE? HELLO, MY NAME IS CATHERINE SCHMIDT AND I'M OUT IN THE HAPPY CREW DISTRICT. UM, I CAME HERE AROUND SIX 30 AND I WAS RACKING MY BRAIN. I WAS HANDED NUMBER 79. I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I GOT PLENTY OF TIME TO THINK OF SOMETHING SUPER AMAZING INSPIRING TO SAY OUT HERE. UM, I THINK HONESTLY, AS FAR AS THE FACTS ARE CONCERNED, I'LL LEAVE THAT TO MY BETTERS. I THINK REALLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR Y'ALL TO MULL OVER TONIGHT. UM, BUT I JUST WANNA REINFORCE TWO THINGS WHICH I'VE HEARD. UM, FIRSTLY, I THINK THE COMMUNITY HERE IS REALLY DIVERSE IN THIS ROOM. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WITH. IS THAT BETTER? THANK YOU. UM, SO FIRST OFF, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO COME FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS WHO DISAGREE ON REALLY MOST ISSUES. BUT WE ARE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WE'RE HERE 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT CONVINCED THAT THE POSITIVE EFFECTS WILL ACTUALLY BE GOOD FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE VERY SERIOUSLY CONCERNED THAT THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OUTWEIGH THE FINANCIAL GAIN. SO REALLY YOUR VOICE DOES MATTER. AND EVEN THOUGH Y'ALL WON'T BE APPROVING THIS APPLICATION, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL BE READING OVER YOUR REPORT. THEY'LL BE RE READING OVER AND SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING WHAT YOU ADVISE THEM TO DO. SO PLEASE, WE STRONGLY ADVISE AND ENCOURAGE AND HONESTLY URGE YOU TO URGE THEM TO DENY THIS APPLICATION. THANK YOU. DARLA BLUMBERG, UH, SHAND DISTRICT FACTS, THEY MATTER. DATA CENTERS CREATE HEAT ISLANDS TWO TO 16 DEGREES WITHIN SIX MILES OF WHERE THEY ARE. THAT MEANS MORE ELECTRIC AND MORE WATER FOR EVERYBODY TO TRY TO KEEP COOL. BUT YET WE'LL BE RESTRICTED NOISE POLLUTION. IT'S NOT A QUICK TEST, IT'S 24 7. PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING ALL KINDS OF ILLNESSES BECAUSE OF IT, NEUROLOGICAL AND EVERYTHING. EMF VIBRATIONS CREATE NEUROLOGICAL ILLNESSES NOT ONLY IN PEOPLE, BUT AFFECTS THE WILDLIFE AND THE FARM ANIMALS. THE COWS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND THEM HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO BANG THEIR HEADS AND IN LOWER BIRTHS AND STILLBIRTHS, DON'T THINK THAT WON'T HAPPEN TO PEOPLE. AIR POLLUTION. WE HUMANS KIND OF NEED AIR TO LIVE. DON'T THINK WE NEED A WORSE HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR COUNTRY BY MAKING MORE DATA CENTERS. FIRES. D DATA CENTERS DO HAVE FIRES. SOME HAVE HAD 80 CALLS IN A YEAR AND WE REALLY DON'T NEED OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDING TO THAT VERSUS, UM, OUR YOUR OWN CONSTITUENTS, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FRIENDS, OUR FAMILY, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THE TYPE OF FIRES THAT OCCUR AND THE TOXICITY THAT THEY CAUSE. IT'LL RAISE OUR BILLS CAUSE OUTAGES AND RESTRICTIONS. WE'RE GONNA END UP LIKE LAKE TAHOE MAYBE, HOPEFULLY NOT. WHERE THEY THINK THE DATA CENTERS CAN GET THE ELECTRICITY AND NOT THE PEOPLE. IT NEEDS TO BE HUMANS. YOUR CONSTITUENTS OVER MACHINES, THE HIGH POWER TRANSMISSION LINES MOST POWERFUL IN ALL THE WORLD NOW ARE BEING PROPOSED ALL ACROSS DIFFERENT AREAS OF VIRGINIA. THEY'RE BOMBARDING US WITH SCIENCE FAIRS TO TRY TO PROPAGANDIZE AND, YOU KNOW, COVER THEIR BUTTS AS FAR AS WE'VE TOLD THE PUBLIC. UM, THEY'RE NOT GIVING A REAL GOOD INFORMATION, BUT WE KNOW THAT, UM, THEY'RE DANGEROUS FOR HUMANITY TO HAVE REGULAR ONES, LET ALONE THE ONES THAT ARE 175 TO 200 AND SOME FEET TALL. THE MOST POWERFUL EVER. 700 AND SOME WATTS. UM, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT NOT TO WORRY THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE DATA CENTERS HERE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WATER. COME ON, DON'T WORRY. SO WHEN DID THAT CHANGE? I DON'T THINK IT HAS. THE AQUIFERS AND WELLS CAN GO DRY. WE NEED WATER TO SURVIVE LIVE AND PEOPLE, AGAIN, OVER MACHINES, OUR PROPERTY VALUES CAN PLUMMET. I CAME OUT HERE FOR PEACE, QUIET [03:15:01] TO SEE THE STARS AND HEAR THE COWS MOO AT NIGHT. UM, I DON'T WANNA SEE ANY OF THAT GO AWAY. I WANNA SEE THE STARS AT NIGHT. THE LIGHT POLLUTION DENIGRATES THAT FOR ALL THAT'S TRUE. TRUE. GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL. I IMPLORE YOU DON'T SELL US OUT AND DON'T SELL YOUR SOULS. INSTEAD CHOOSE TO BE HEROES FOR OUR COUNTRY. AND VOTE NO. HELLO, MY NAME IS IZZY SHEIK. I'M THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. I'M FIFTH GENERATION PALESTINIAN AMERICAN. MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS CAME HERE IN 1905. I'M VERY GRATEFUL ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE MY FREEDOM OF SPEECH. I AM MARRIED TO THE GR UH, THE GRANDSON OF BILL HIPPEL, WHO WAS, UM, A GENTLEMAN WHO ACCOMPLISHED A LOT ACTUALLY IN HIS COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE DID WAS TEST THE SHENANDOAH RIVER FOR A LOT OF THE CHEMICALS AND POLLUTION AND AND WHATNOT THAT WAS OCCURRING WHEN, UH, AVTEC AND DUPONT WHATNOT WERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE. AND WE ALREADY KNOW, OF COURSE, OF THE, UH, PRESENCE AND EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS NOW ON THE NORTH SIDE. UH, WE LIVE, UH, RIGHT ON THE RIVER AND OUR KITCHEN ACTUALLY USED TO BE HIS LABORATORY. UM, IT'S JUST KINDA FUNNY BECAUSE WE USED TO GET OUR DRINKING WATER FROM CULLIGAN AND I CAN'T EVEN BOIL WATER FOR TEA WITHOUT SLUDGE ACCUMULATING ON THE SIDES OF THE KETTLE. WE NOW GET OUR WATER FROM WALMART AND THE WATER IS A LOT CLEARER. OF COURSE, THEY, IT GOES THROUGH A FIL FILTRATION PROCESS. BUT NOW WITH THIS DATA CENTER RIGHT THERE NEXT TO IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU DO. ACTUALLY STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN THE WATER EVEN IF IT GOES THROUGH AN ENTIRE UH, SYSTEM. YOU CANNOT RECYCLE THE WATER. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE PSA, THE PFAS. IT LITERALLY BECOMES SLUDGE. I JUST WANTED TO ADD, UH, THAT WHILE I APPRECIATE OUR ABILITY TO HAVE FREEDOM IN DIFFERENT WAYS, OBVIOUSLY HUMAN TO HUMAN, WE CARE A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN WARREN COUNTY. BUT AS FAR AS CORPORATIONS HAVING MORE RIGHTS THAN HUMAN BEINGS, EVEN THEN, I THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER. WE CAN GET A LOT MORE CREATIVE WITH WHAT TO DO WITH THE INDUSTRIAL LOT. WE CAN STILL HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT GENTLEMAN TO BE ABLE TO SELL HIS LOT WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE SUCH DETRIMENTAL AND DEVASTATING EFFECTS. I BELIEVE THAT EVERY DAY IS JUDGMENT DAY. EVERY DAY IS JUDGMENT DAY. AND YOU CAN CHOOSE WHAT TO DO TODAY. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO SHOW US THAT OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISN'T JUST AIR. SO PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS JIM SHANLEY. I AM FROM THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT AND I SINCERELY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU'RE GIVING US AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. UH, IT'S ADMIRABLE AND EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT WE THINK YOU'RE MIGHT BE DOING OR WE, WE DO PRAY THAT, THAT YOU'RE GOOD JUDGMENT PREVAILS. AND I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE. MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD THE BLESSING TO LIVE AND RAISE OUR CHILDREN IN WARREN COUNTY FOR 28 YEARS. AND I, I HOPE THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA CONTINUES TO BE AS BEAUTIFUL AND AND SAFE AS IT HAS BEEN. AND, AND I PLEASE HELP KEEP OUR COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, OUR WATER CLEAN AND OUR AIR UNPOLLUTED. AND TO THAT END, PLEASE VOTE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROVO PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. AND THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M DAVID QUARAN SHENANDOAH DISTRICT RESIDENT. I HAVE, I HAVE VISITED WARREN COUNTY FOR DECADES TO SAVOR THE TRAILS, THE RIVERS WILDLIFE. I WAS BLESSED TO MOVE HERE FULL-TIME THREE YEARS AGO. UH, SINCE MOVING HERE, I UNDERSTAND AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE IN A SUSTAINED DROUGHT. IT'S ALREADY AFFECTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS ALIKE. WE MUST NOT SACRIFICE OUR ALREADY STRAINED NATURAL RESOURCES TO PREDATORY NON-LOCAL CORPORATIONS. WE KNOW THIS CHANGE WILL OPEN THE DOOR TO FURTHER SIMILAR PURSUITS HERE TODAY. [03:20:01] WE'RE PROTECTED FROM SUCH PREDATORY DEVELOPMENT. I URGE YOU TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MANUEL VICENTE AND, UM, I LIVE NEAR BIG LOTS, BUT I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT WHAT DISTRICT IT IS. BUT, UH, SPEAKING OF BIG LOTS, WELL IT'S ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AWAY WHERE I LIVE. UM, THIS IS A, A THESE ARE REALLY BIG LOTS, RIGHT? UM, WE HAD A, WE HAD SOME WATER PIPE ISSUES RECENTLY IN OUR DEVELOPMENT THAT KIND OF GROWS OUT OF FRONT ROYAL. IT'S NOT REALLY PART OF FRONT ROYAL. AND THAT WAS A PROBLEM. THERE WAS AN ARRANGEMENT MADE BY THE DEVELOPER WITH THE, THE GOVERNMENT TO, UH, GET SOME SERVICES BUT MAYBE NOT MEET THE CODE. AND THIS HAPPENED IN THE 1980S AND, UM, SO IT, IT KIND OF DID A DISSERVICE TO THE FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHICH, WHICH IS US, YOU KNOW. SO WE HAD TO FIX THIS ISSUE WHERE THE PIPE BROKE CLOSEST TO OUR PROPERTY AND IT, WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY ON IT. AND IN ADDITION TO ALL THE TAXES THAT WE HAVE TO PAY, WHICH ARE PRETTY HIGH, ESPECIALLY THE COUNTY TAX. BUT, UM, SO YEAH, WE HAD THIS WATER ISSUE AND IT'S A SIMPLE DEVELOPMENT. IT WAS, IT WAS WASN'T A DATA CENTER. DATA CENTER HAS MANY COMPLICATIONS AS YOU HEARD. UH, WATER, ELECTRICITY, NOISE, POLLUTION, AND UNANTICIPATED FUTURE IMPACTS. 'CAUSE REMEMBER THE DEVELOPMENT WAS IN THE 1980S AND NOW WE'RE, WE'RE STILL AS RESIDENTS, WE'RE PAYING FOR IT IN THE, IN 2026. SO, UM, I INVITE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, CONSIDERING THE, OR WANTING TO BUILD THE DATA CENTERS, WHY DON'T THEY COME AND FORM A COMMUNITY AROUND IT? WHY AREN'T THEY DOING THAT? MAYBE THE TERM DATA CENTER STANDS FOR DON'T CARE. AND MAYBE THE TERM WE'RE IN COUNTY, WHICH WE ARE THE RESIDENTS OF STANDS, STANDS FOR. WE COUNT AND WE CARE. AND I WANT YOU ALL, I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO JOIN US AND MAKE WHAT WE SAY, COUNT AND CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AS WE HAVE ALL SHOWN YOU. AND I, I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. SO IN THIS LONG NIGHT, AND PLEASE, UM, RECOMMEND THE DENIAL OF THE DATA CENTERS. THANK YOU. HI THERE. ROBERT FUNK, NORTH RIVER, 2.6%. WOW. WE HOW MANY LEAFERS HIKERS AND FESTIVAL GOERS IS THAT WORTH? HOW MUCH WILL THE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY VALUES OFFSET SUCH SPLENDOR? ASHBURN JUST SOLD 130 ACRES FOR 4.4 MILLION PER ACRE FOR DATA CENTERS. NOW, I DON'T WANT OR TRUST THEM IN WARREN AT ALL, BUT IT'S INSULTING THAT WE'RE FACING A GRIM DECISION ON OUR FUTURE AND OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. FOR COMPARATIVELY PENNIES, THE TOWN BLOCKED THE 113 ACRES FOR SUPPOSEDLY A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT DATA CENTER. WHAT WOULD THEY HAVE DONE WITH THE REMAINING 112.8? WHAT WOULD RUSH MARK IF THESE COMPANIES MUST PAY FOR THEIR OWN SUBSTATIONS IN WATER, HOW LONG BEFORE THEY START MAKING DEMANDS OF THE TOWN BECAUSE OF THEIR INVESTMENTS? WHO WANTS TO BE BEHOLDEN TO THE WHIMS OF A WILDLY UNPOPULAR AND UNRELIABLE BUSINESS MODEL? AND TROJAN HORSE, EVEN A SMALL ONE, CAN USE VAST AMOUNTS OF ENERGY. WE USE AROUND 40 KILOWATTS A DAY, OR 1.3 MEGAWATTS A MONTH. IN THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD, WE JUST HAD A WATER MAIN IN TOWN, BURST FOR MAYBE TWO HOURS. HALF THE TOWN HAD NO WATER, AND THE REST HAD THEIR WATER PRESSURE DROPPED TO NOTHING. THE ONLY THING MISSING WAS JETS TAKING OFF NONSTOP, AND WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN A DEMO OF THE DATA CENTER EXPERIENCE. A WIDELY ACCEPTED AVERAGE AS EACH ACRE CONSUMES THREE AND A HALF MEGAWATTS PER DAY, ABOUT 82 HOMES WORTH PER DAY. I WOULD RATHER SEE 82 FAMILIES ENJOY HEAT, COOLING WATER AND WORKING APPLIANCES THAN ONE ACRE OF A LOUD STONE SARCOPHAGUS DESIGNED TO REAP OUR WAY OF LIFE. SUPPOSEDLY, THEY CAN'T USE MORE THAN 3095 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY, NECESSITATING CLOSED LOOP OR AIR COOLING. BUT THESE COMPANIES FIND IT EASIER TO ASK FORGIVENESS THAN PERMISSION. DO WE REALIZE THAT THE INDIRECT COSTS ON WATER FOR DRAWS WAY MORE THAN THAT AROUND 2000 GALLONS PER MEGAWATT? WHO'S TO SAY THAT THE CHEMICAL AND RAYON SLURRY AT THE AVTEC SITE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT THE DATA CENTER IN CONSTANT DISREPAIR THAT THEY WASH THEIR HANDS OF AS A LOSS OR LEAD A WHOLE NEW GENERATION TO TERMINAL AND LIFELONG CONDITIONS LIKE AVTEC DID. WHY LEVY AND INCALCULABLE SIN ON OUR BEAUTIFUL VISTAS BECAUSE OF [03:25:01] GREED? STRINGING ALONG GULLIBLE OPTIMISM IN TECH. I'VE SEEN IT SAID THAT A DATA CENTER CAN'T BE MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FEET. 2.3 ACRES, 8.2 MEGAWATTS PER DAY. HOW MANY WOULD THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIT IN AAV, TACS OR ROCKLAND? IF TEMPERANCE AND COMPASSION FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY ISN'T ENOUGH, THINK WITH GREED AND PRIDE TOURISM BUSINESS, DO YOU THINK RMA WILL TAKE KINDLY TO LOSING ITS INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE TO THE BROWNOUTS, BLACKOUTS, NOISE AND WORSENING OF THE DECADE LONG WATER CONSERVATION AND DROUGHT THAT THIS WILL CAUSE? ROCKLANDS LOOKING AT A 46 ACRES SPECIAL USE PERMIT, 161 MEGAWATTS PER DAY, 4,000 HOMES WORTH. THE WHOLE TOWN USES AROUND 430 MEGAWATTS A DAY. AND THIS WOULD STRAIN NEARLY 40% ON TOP. THE GRID WOULD NEED SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES IN ADDITIONS TO ACCOMMODATE AND WOULD INDIRECTLY DRASTICALLY ACCE THE 3095 NUMBER. IF WE TRULY CARE ABOUT HOME VALUES, THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST POSSIBLE DOORS TO OPEN. RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. CAN I GET 90 THROUGH 97 LORI MARTIN, SOUTH RIVER? UM, THAT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW RIGHT THERE. BETWEEN THAT AND, UH, DR. SEUS RHYME, I THINK EVERYONE SUMMED IT UP. SO I JUST WANT TO IMPLORE ALL OF YOU TO VOTE NOW, UM, ON THE AMENDMENT TO ADD DENNIS, ADD DAY TO CENTERS. NOBODY WANTS IT HERE. THANK YOU. ANITA MILLER, NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, AGAIN, UH, PEOPLE THAT WENT BEFORE ME SAID MOST OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. I WENT TO LERAY CAVERNS TODAY THOUGH, AND I SAW AUTOMOBILE IN THEIR ANTIQUE CAR BARN. AND IT WAS ABOUT 1908, I BELIEVE, AND IT HAD TWO HORSEPOWER AND WENT 25 MILES PER HOUR, TOP SPEED. AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE CAR NEXT TO IT, WHICH WAS BUILT A SHORT SIX YEARS LATER, AND IT HAD 24 HORSEPOWER. AND THE SPEED OF TOP SPEED OF 60 MILES PER HOUR. SIX ZERO, ONLY 10 MILES PER HOUR, LESS THAN OUR TOP SPEED ON OUR 66 FREEWAY, 128 YEARS LATER, OR 18 YEARS LATER. SO MY POINT IS THAT THE BE ALL AND END ALL OF THIS DATA CENTERS, THE WAY THEY'RE PUSHING THEM AROUND OUR NATION, PUSHING THEM OUT, LIKE THEY'RE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM. UH, TECH, I BELIEVE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WILL QUICKEN IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS. AND I THINK DATA CENTERS MAY VERY WELL BE OBSOLETE AND WE WILL HAVE FORFEITED OUR BEAUTIFUL LAND FOR, UH, WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE TOLD US WAS A GAME. THANK YOU. MICHELLE FRANSON, NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT. I KNOW YOU'RE TIRED. I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE. FACTS, STORIES. I CAN'T SAY THAT I'M GONNA SAY ANYTHING UNIQUE, UM, OR ADD TO IT. I'M STANDING HERE ASKING YOU WITH EVERY OTHER PERSON ASIDE FROM ONE TO PLEASE SAY NO VOTE, NO, GIVE YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF NO. UM, SO THIS IS NOT A DECISION BEING MADE IN THE ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE. WE ALREADY HAVE THE EVIDENCE. YOU'VE HEARD COUNTLESS PEOPLE SHARE THE EVIDENCE. I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, THE POWER GRID. UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LIVING THROUGH ANOTHER REMINDER OF WHY THIS MATTERS BECAUSE DURING THIS WEEK'S HEAT WAVE, THE PJM POWER GRID, WHICH SERVES VIRGINIA, BECAME, BECAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO RECORD DEMAND. EMERGENCY MEASURES WERE TAKEN AND RESIDENTS WERE ASKED TO CONSERVE ELECTRICITY, PROTECT GRID RELIABILITY. DATA CENTER GROWTH IS ALREADY RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MAJOR DRIVERS OF INCREASING ELECTRIC ELECTRICITY DEMAND ACROSS OUR REGION. THE OTHER THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS HUBRIS. UM, WE'VE HEARD OUR REP, THE, SORRY, I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME. YEAH, RUSHMORE. UM, WE'VE HEARD HIM TALK ABOUT THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO [03:30:01] IT DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE THIS WHOLE PLAN TO DO IT DIFFERENT, BUT THAT IS WHERE HUBRIS BECOMES DANGEROUS. HUBRIS IS BELIEVING THAT SOMEHOW WE WILL ESCAPE THE CONSEQUENCES THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING. IT IS BELIEVING THAT WARREN COUNTY IS THE EXCEPTION TO OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE. HOPE IS NOT A PLAN. WISHFUL THINKING IS NOT RESPONSIBLE PLANNING. AND THESE COMPANIES THAT WANT TO FORCE DATA CENTERS HERE DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY OR THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY AFFECT. UH, THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS, AND WE ARE THE ONES LEFT HOLDING THE BAG AND HOLDING THE CONSEQUENCES. SO THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF WHERE A DATA CENTER GOES IN WARREN COUNTY. THIS IS A MATTER OF SAYING NO TO ALL DATA CENTERS BECAUSE WARREN COUNTY DOES NOT NEED A DATA CENTER. YOU ARE ASKING US TO ASSU ASSUME PERMANENT RISK FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S BUSINESS MODEL. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO PROTECT THE INSTRUMENT OF COMPANIES HEADQUARTERED SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT IS TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. SO I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE RECOMMEND NO, THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M MIKE SHOTTEN FROM THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, I'M HERE TO GO UP, BE BEYOND RECORD IN REQUESTING THAT THE COMMITTEE REJECT THE PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY OPEN THE DOOR, UH, FOR ALLOWING DATA SETTLE AND WARREN COUNTY. IT WOULD BE IN INCREDIBLY SHORTSIGHTED TO RECOMMEND OTHERWISE. UM, LISTENING TO THE SALESMAN THAT REPRESENTS RUSH MARK DID NOTHING TO ASSUAGE MY SUSPICION THAT THERE IS ANY, UM, THAT THEY ARE DISINGENUOUS IN THEIR CLAIMS. UH, OUR COM, UH, THAT OUR COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS ARE UNFOUNDED. UM, AND EVERYTHING WILL BE JUST FINE AS ONE EXAMPLE. UM, WHILE MENTIONING THE BACKUP GENERATORS, WHICH MANY PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN ADDITION TO BEING THERE TO MEET HIGH DEMAND, THEY ALSO ARE, UM, TURN OUT ONCE A MONTH, UH, ALL AT, ACTUALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ALL AT ONCE, BUT THEY'RE ALL TURNED OUT ONCE A MONTH HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE STILL WORKING. SO WHETHER IT'S HIGH DEMAND OR NOT, YOU CAN COUNT ON AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, A HUNDRED GENERATORS BOOTING UP AND SPITTING OUT THEIR, UM, UH, DIESEL, WHATEVERS COMES OUT, UH, EMISSIONS. UM, AND ANOTHER THING TOO THAT, UH, THIS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS NOT TOO FAR IN FRONT OF ME, MADE A POINT OUT IS HOW FAST TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING. IT'D BE INSANE TO INVEST IN, UH, A BUSINESS OF THIS SORT WHEN YOU KNOW HOW FAST TECHNOLOGY IS SHRINKING AND CHANGING. AND WE'RE GONNA BUILD THIS INCREDIBLY HUGE AND IMPOSING AND RIDICULOUS INFRASTRUCTURE OR TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GONNA CHANGE IN FIVE YEARS, MAYBE LESS IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING HOW, HOW, HOW FAST COMPUTERS HAVE BEEN SHRINKING, CHANGING THE POWER, UM, DEMANDED FROM THE DIFFERENT SIZES. UM, IT JUST LONG TERM IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL. IT'S, IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY SHORTSIGHTED. SO I, UH, THE THE ONES UP YOU THAT ARE AT LEAST TRYING TO PRETEND LIKE YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SPEAK PEOPLE SPEAKING, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUDDY. YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR PAYING ATTENTION. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US, AND PLEASE, PLEASE, UH, RECOMMEND AGAINST, UM, CANNING THIS, UM, UM, UH, THE ZONING ORDINANCES. THANK YOU. AND GOOD GOD, DUDE, PAY ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU'RE DISABLE, SIR. IT'S UNCALLED FOR. THAT IS UNCALLED FOR. UH, OFFICER, OFFICER, HELPLESS GENTLEMAN, LEAVE HELP THAT GENTLEMAN LEAVE. WE'RE NOT PUT, THE DESPICABLE PART IS AN INSULT THAT'S AN UNCALLED FOR. I DON'T YOU, YOU, YOU NEED TO LEAVE. SAY LET'S, OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON. IF YOU'RE IN REFERENCE TO THE ATTORNEY, THEN HE'S NOT VOTING. ALL RIGHT. UH, I'M STEVE MAXWELL FROM THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE HARMS OF DATA CENTERS, UH, AIR QUALITY ISSUES, LIGHTED LANDSCAPES, UH, WATER ISSUES, NOISE, INFRA SOUND. UM, I WANTED TO KEEP THIS NICE AND SHORT AND SUBMIT THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM RUSH MARK, UH, GIVE US THE NICE, UH, METAPHOR FOR [03:35:01] UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY'VE OFFERED, WHICH IS THAT THEIR MITIGATIONS ARE LITERALLY WINDOW DRESSING. UM, PLEASE VOTE NO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO, I AM FRANCIS POWELL. I LIVE IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. I'M 22 YEARS OLD. UM, REAL QUICK TO CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING AND OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING TONIGHT. AND I WILL RESPECTFULLY SAY THAT ADDING A DE DATA CENTER WILL WORSEN THOSE ISSUES. I WILL FINISH OFF WITH ONE SIMPLE QUESTION. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE FIVE YEAR DROUGHT WE ARE EXPERIENCING ISN'T A RESULT OF THE 665 DATA CENTERS IN VIRGINIA? WE ARE ALREADY BEING IMPACTED BY DATA CENTERS. CONSIDERING HOW MANY DATA CENTERS ARE ALREADY SUCKING THE WATER SUPPLY. WE CAN'T A GOOD CONSCIENCE ADD TO THIS PROBLEM. I RESPECTFULLY ASK, PLEASE SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS IN ALL FORMS. THANK YOU. I'M IRMA POWELL. I'M, UH, SHENANDOAH DISTRICT, AND THAT'S MY SON WHO WANTED TO STAY UP VERY LATE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GOING OUT TO CHARLOTTESVILLE SIX 30 TOMORROW MORNING. BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE AND STAYING HERE TONIGHT. I KNOW IT'S, UM, A DIFFICULT SITUATION, BUT THIS IS WHAT A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC'S ABOUT, AND EVERYBODY'S WORKING HARD TO DO IT. UM, EVEN IF HYPOTHETICALLY, UM, THE DATA CENTERS WERE A WONDERFUL IDEA, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY FEEL THAT IT IS A CROSS EXPLOITATION OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND TO PARAPHRASE THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE WISDOM TO DECLINE WHAT IS, UM, NOT GOOD FOR OUR, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A THREAT TO OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, OUR LIFESTYLE, AND WHAT WE HOLD MOST DEAR, WHICH IS A PIECE AND TRANQUILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. ALSO, I'M SEEING THAT WE HAVE HERE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER, UM, FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I INVITE ALL THOSE THAT ARE HERE AND HAVE COME HERE. I INVITE YOU WHEN THIS IS OVER, AND I, I SUSPECT YOU ARE NOT WILD ABOUT DATA CENTERS EITHER. AND I, BUT I WANT EVERYONE HERE WHEN THIS GOES THROUGH. AND IF WE CAN BLOCK THESE DATA CENTERS FROM COMING TO NOT GO HOME AND PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK, BUT TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROCESS HAS BROUGHT ABOUT THAT, AND THAT WE NEED TO STAY INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO ALSO APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE GRUNT WORK HERE UP ON THE THING AND SITTING HERE AND PUTTING UP WITH STUFF AND, YOU KNOW, MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO, UM, STAY FOCUSED. IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO, UH, BE ABLE TO ABSORB ALL THE INFORMATION HERE, BUT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO WORK ON THIS TOGETHER. AND I THINK THAT, UM, WE CAN, AS A COMMUNITY, MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER ONE. AND I THINK IF WE ALL STAY AND, AND PARTICIPATE IN IT, AND WORK TOGETHER WITH THOSE THAT HAVE, UH, PLEDGED THEMSELVES TO SERVICE, THAT WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS IN THIS COUNTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI, I AM SCOTT. UH, SCOTT LLOYD. I'M FROM THE, UH, HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A, A FEW POINTS. UM, SO MUCH HAS BEEN COVERED TONIGHT. UH, BUT I THOUGHT I COULD TRY AND COVER SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T DELVE TOO DEEPLY INTO TONIGHT. ONE THING IS, IS POLITICS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, AVTEC, IT WAS THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMIC LIFE HERE IN, UH, FORMER ROYAL WAS BEFORE MY TIME, BUT I'VE, AS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, I GOT TO HEAR THE STORY OF, OF HOW THAT HAPPENED AND, AND, AND WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED. AND THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A BORDER THAT CAME DOWN, UM, AND, AND IT WAS TO GO INTO EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT ON A FRIDAY. AND AT MIDNIGHT ON FRIDAY, THEY SHUT DOWN OPERATIONS AT AVTEC. UM, THEY JUST PUT THE SWITCH AND THE LIQUIFIED, UM, RAYON, UH, THEY, IT SOLIDIFIED IN TANKS UNDERGROUND THAT THEY LATER HAD TO, TO, TO RETRIEVE. AND WHAT HAPPENED THERE? IT WAS, IT WAS THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND THEN SUDDENLY IT, IT CHANGED. IT CHANGED OVER OVERNIGHT. AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE POLITICS CHANGED, UH, BECAUSE THE EPA AND THE CLEAN CLEAN WATER ACT CAME ALONG AND SAID, YOU CAN, YOU CAN NO LONGER DO THIS. AND, AND WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO SHUT IT DOWN. UM, AND JUST SPEAKING ABOUT THE LOCAL POLITICS HERE, I'M CURRENTLY A CANDIDATE FOR, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE. AND AS I WAS OUT HERE OUT THERE, UH, GREETING PEOPLE, I BELIEVE THAT I RAN INTO THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC WARREN COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE, WHO IS HERE ALSO OPPOSING DATA CENTERS. THE POLITICS HAVE COMPLETELY ALIGNED [03:40:01] IN WARREN COUNTY TO OPPOSE DATA CENTERS. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A PRETTY REMARKABLE THING. CONSIDER CONSIDERING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, TEND TO DIVIDE THIS COMMUNITY. I'M GONNA SPEAK, UH, QUICKLY ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. IT'S BEEN TOUCHED ON A FEW TIMES, BUT, UH, THE, THE COMPANIES WHO ARE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY TELLING US WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. THEY, UM, SPACE X AND ALSO BLUE ORIGIN ARE PLANNING TO PUT THESE, PUT DATA CENTERS IN SPACE WHERE THEY CAN COLLECT, UM, THE ENERGY BY, BY THROUGH SOLAR POWER. AND THE, THE CONCERNS OF RE COOLING AND ALSO HAVING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, UH, ON A NATIONWIDE BASIS IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S OUT IN SPACE. AND SO THE C THE CUTTING EDGE IN THE FUTURE OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES IS THAT ALL THIS IS GOING UP INTO SPACE AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU CAN, IT'S GONNA BE CHEAPER BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THEY'RE HARVESTING THE, UM, ENERGY TO ACHIEVE THESE THINGS. FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT, UH, PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP. AND THAT'S THE PIECE, THE PIECE THAT WE FIND IN THIS COMMUNITY. I USED TO BE A ROAD WARRIOR WHO CAME, UH, BACK FROM DC AND COULD FEEL THE TENSION LIFTING AS I WAS DRIVING OUT. AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE DESCRIBED THE SAME THING. AND, UH, WE'RE CONTEMPLATING IMPORTING WHAT WE'RE ESCAPING INTO THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE. MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT IS THE END OF THE SIGNUP LIST. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK THAT DID NOT SIGN UP? PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND GET IN LINE HERE, . AND IF YOU WOULD, DO THE KINDLY CLERK A FAVOR. WHEN YOU SAY YOUR NAME, PLEASE ENUNCIATE. I'M TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY'S NAME SPELLED CORRECTLY. UH, AIRPLANE MODE WORKS. DO DATA CENTERS HAVE AIRPLANE MODES? THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. UM, KATHERINE ANZ FORK DISTRICT. I'M A NURSE, BEEN A NURSE FOR THREE YEARS. I DO NOT REPRESENT ANY OF THE THREE MAJOR HEALTH SYSTEMS WITHIN A HUNDRED MILES OF HERE THAT I'VE WORKED FOR. BUT I CAN TELL YOU HEALTHCARE SYSTEM CAN'T AFFORD EVEN MINOR DETRIMENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS. WE GENERALLY DON'T FIND OUT TILL LATER, UM, WHAT CAUSES CANCER? CANCER. SO DO NOT PUT THAT ON YOUR LEDGER. I'M SURE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU KNOWS SOMEONE WHO'S DIED FROM CANCER. SO PLEASE SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS. THANK YOU. HI, KATHLEEN MANCINI, SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. UM, A LOT OF WHAT I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT HAS ALREADY BEEN TALKED ABOUT. SO, UM, I WILL TALK ABOUT ONE THING. I THINK ONE PERSON MENTIONED IT, SO I'LL MENTION IT AGAIN. UM, DATA CENTERS ARE LIKE HEAT SINKS. THEY INCREASE THE AIR AND GROUND TEMPERATURES OR MILES AROUND THEM BY FOUR TO 15 DEGREES. SO WITH THE RECORD TEMPERATURES LAST WEEK, CAN YOU IMAGINE IF IT WAS FOUR DEGREES HOTTER OR 15 DEGREES HOTTER? I KNOW WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR ONE DAY LAST WEEK IN FRONT ROYAL, UM, MY CAR SAID IT WAS 107 DEGREES. SO ADD 15 DEGREES TO THAT, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN 122 DEGREES. THAT WILL CAUSE A LOT OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WILL COST A LOT OF MONEY TO DEAL WITH. THE OTHER THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT, UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS MENTIONED YET, BUT, UM, TECH COMPANIES ARE SUING COUNTIES THAT, THAT BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM AND THEN PUT A MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS. AS SOMEONE EARLIER SAID, VIRGINIA LAW ALLOWS COUNTIES TO SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS. BUT IF YOU START NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM, THAT GIVES CORPORATIONS STANDING TO SUE YOU IF YOU DON'T START NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM. IF YOU DON'T INSTITUTE GUIDELINES FOR DATA CENTERS, THEY HAVE NO STANDING TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU. THEY'RE LIKE VAMPIRES. THEY CAN'T COME IN UNLESS YOU INVITE THEM IN. BUT ONCE YOU INVITE THEM IN, THEY IMMEDIATELY SUCK YOU DRY. AND THEN IF YOU SAY NO, THEY SUCK YOU DRY IN COURT. HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW THEY LIKE TO DO THINGS IN SECRET NEGOTIATIONS AND HIDDEN INFORMATION? BECAUSE VAMPIRES CAN'T SURVIVE IN SUNLIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY? TAKE NANCY REAGAN'S ADVICE AND JUST [03:45:01] SAY NO. SAY NO BEFORE YOU INVITE VAMPIRES IN, BEFORE YOU NEGOTIATE WITH THEM, BEFORE YOU PASS GUIDELINES. REMEMBER, WHEN DEALING WITH VAMPIRES, SUNLIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY BEATS THEM. ANY INVITATION ALLOWS THEM TO SUCK YOU DRY. JUST SAY, NO. I AM ANGELA KELLER AND I'M IN THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, TONIGHT I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. UM, THIS DECISION IS LARGER THAN ANY SINGLE PROJECT OR APPLICANT. THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU IS WHETHER WARREN COUNTY SHOULD FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE ITS ZONING CODE TO PERMIT LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE COUNTY. SO IF THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES REQUESTING TO BECOME A PERMANENT PART OF OUR LANDSCAPE ARE SO EFFECTIVE AND SAFE, THEN WHY DOES THIS NEW ORDINANCE PROPOSAL BY MU RUSH MARK AND AND OTHER PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED IN OTHER TOWNS AND COUNTIES CONTAIN SO MANY EXTENSIVE SECTIONS DEVOTED TO NOISE, VIBRATION, LIGHTING, AND WATER MITIGATION. WHY SO MANY PROVISIONS THAT THE ISSUES AREN'T PROBLEMS IN THE FIRST PLACE? SOME OB OBSERVATIONS OF THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE IN THE NEW PROPOSAL THAT YOU ARE VOTING ON TONIGHT APPEAR TO HAVE MANY ESCAPE PATCHES. AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT EIGHT OF THEM JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. ONE, IT GIVES THAT ESCAPE PATCH FOR SOUND LIMITS. THEY MAY BE RELAXED ON A CASE BY CASE PAGE BASIS. NUMBER TWO, VIBRATION LIMITS MAY BE RELAXED ON A CASE BY CASE PAGE BASIS. THREE HEIGHT EXCEPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH SPECIAL USE PERMITS. FOUR, BUILDING SIZE CAN EXCEED 300,000 SQUARE FEET THROUGH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS. UH, NUMBER FIVE, TEMPORARY POTABLE WATER USE FOR INDUSTRIAL COOLING MAY BE APPROVED. SIX. MANY COMPLIANCE MEASUREMENTS APPEAR TO BE PERFORMED BY THE OPERATOR'S OWN CONSULTANTS. SEVEN, POST-DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS ARE CONDUCTED BY THE CAMPUS OPERATOR. AND EIGHT CERTAIN ROOFTOP EQUIPMENT APPEARS EXEMPT FROM THE BUILDING HEIGHT LIMITS ALTOGETHER. UM, SO IF YOU APPROVE THESE CHANGES, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE, THE, YOU KNOW, UNKNOWN CONSEQUENCES, UM, THAT ARE FOR ALL THE REST OF US. UM, HERE. IT'S, AND IT'S NOT WORTH IT. SO, AND WE HAVE THE NEW UNIQUE SITUATION HERE. I MENTIONED, AND WHEN I SPOKE AT THE TOWN MEETING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE VIRGINIA'S ONLY US NATIONAL PARK RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACK DOOR, AND IT'S ASSET NINE TO EVEN THINK THAT WE WOULD EVEN CONSIDER THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, WE, I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SOUNDSCAPE AND PROTECTING THE TRANQUILITY AND NATURAL, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE WE HAVE HERE. RIGHT? UM, WE ESSENTIALLY LIVE, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, IN A LONG NATURAL BASIN OR A BOWL, UH, BOUNDED BY THE BLUE RIDGE IN THE ALLEGHENY. SO WE'RE KIND OF LIKE THIS NATURAL AMPHITHEATER. AND OUR UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY CAN INFLUENCE HOW SOUNDS TRAVEL, PARTICULARLY THE LOW FREQUENCY NOISE. LOW FREQUENCY SOUNDS LIKE THE CONSTANT COME FROM COOLING FANS, CHILLERS, HVAC SYSTEMS FROM DATA CENTERS DON'T DISSIPATE AS QUICKLY AS HIGHER PITCH SOUNDS. SO DURING TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS COMMON IN THE VALLEY HERE, SOUND BENDS BACK TOWARD THE GROUND INSTEAD OF ESCAPING UPWARD. SO THE INDUSTRIAL NOISE TRAVELS FASTER THAN IT WOULD OVER, YOU KNOW, TYPICAL FLAT TERRAIN. SO THIS WOULD NOT ONLY AFFECT THOSE LIVING CLOSE TO IT, BUT IT WOULD AFFECT EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY. THANK YOU. YEAH. MY NAME IS JOEY K BLACK. I'M IN THE FORK DISTRICT. THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I'VE LIVED IN FRONT ROW 15 YEARS, MARRIED TO A THIRD GENERATION FRONT ROYAL NATIVE. UM, ALL OF OUR THREE CHILDREN ARE BORN IN THE SAME ROOM SHE WAS BORN IN 30 YEARS AGO. UM, I OWN A LOCAL BUSINESS THAT EMPLOYS 20 PEOPLE AND SUPPORTS ABOUT 50. AND WE ALL SPEND OUR MONEY IN TOWN. UH, THERE ARE NO GOOD REASONS FOR US TO ALLOW DATA CENTERS WARREN COUNTY. AND THERE ARE A HUNDRED GOOD REASONS NOT TO ALLOW THEM. NOTHING ABOUT DATA CENTER SUPPORTS THE VISION OF WARREN COUNTY AND THE RESIDENTS. THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO BECOME ANOTHER STATISTIC IN THE AGGRESSIVE LAND AND POWER GRAB OF WEALTHY CORPORATIONS. THESE PEOPLE DO NOT CARE ABOUT US AND DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE PERMANENT DAMAGE THAT WILL INFLICT IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE ALLOW THEM TO WRITE A ZONING TAX AMENDMENT TO OUR OWN ZONING CODE? LAST MONTH, THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL STOOD UP IN THE FACE OF THE POWER GRAB AND DID THE RIGHT THING THAT VOTED TO BAN DATA CENTERS ENTIRELY. IT'S A VERY EASY DECISION. PLEASE STAND WITH THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. FRONT ROYAL IS THE SEAT OF THE COUNTY AND IS SHOWING VIRGINIA THE WAY FORWARD. PLEASE STAND WITH US, NOT AGAINST US. VOTE KNOWING THE ZONING CHANGE AND FIND A WAY TO BAN DATA CENTERS FROM WARREN COUNTY ENTIRELY. THANK YOU. HELLO? HELLO. MY NAME IS ROBERT MARTIN. I LIVE IN SHENANDOAH [03:50:01] DISTRICT. I'M A RETIRED NURSE. I WORKED FOR VALLEY HEALTH FOR MANY YEARS. UH, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANYONE THAT ACTUALLY THINKS THIS PROPOSAL WILL MAKE WARREN COUNTY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. THERE ARE ONLY PEOPLE THAT KNOW IT WON'T AND PEOPLE THAT TEND, THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT PERSONALLY. UH, SO VOTE NO. THERE IS NO REASON, AS THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME SAID TO ALLOW THIS INTO WARREN COUNTY. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS CATHERINE TURNER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT DISTRICT I LIVE IN, BUT I WANNA TELL YOU EXACTLY WHERE I LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPOSED SITE. IF, UM, THIS DATA CENTER IS PUT IN HERE, I WILL NOT, MY, MY HOME WILL NOT BE LIVABLE AND, UH, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SELL IT. MY HUSBAND WORKED FOR 30 YEARS TO BUY THIS HOUSE. UM, IT'S AN EYESORE, , I'LL GIVE YOU THAT, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO I FOUND MYSELF WITHIN FOUR MONTHS, AN ORPHAN AND A WIDOW. I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A PROPERTY ANYWHERE ELSE. IF I DON'T SELL THIS PROPERTY, I WILL BE DESTITUTE. BUT I DON'T ASK YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS FOR ME. IT'S JUST ME. I'LL BE TAKEN CARE OF SOMEHOW. I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE, AND I DON'T HAVE STATISTICS, I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION. I ONLY HAVE MY STORY. BUT MY STORY COULD BE YOUR STORY. THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS. THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO ALLOW PEOPLE WITH BIG ORGANIZATIONS TO DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR PEOPLE. AND LIKE I SAID, I'M JUST ONE PERSON, BUT IT COULD BE YOU COULD BE ANYONE HERE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO. SO PLEASE, VOTE NO ON THE DATA CENTERS. I DISAPPROVE OF DATA CENTERS, NOT JUST IN FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY, BUT IN THIS WORLD, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY ALL OF OUR DATA SHOULD BE, PUBLIC INFORMATION SHOULD BE STORED WITHOUT ANY RECOMPENSE TO US. UM, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT WILLING TO LET GO OF OUR CELL PHONES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, ALTHOUGH I WOULD BE. BUT ANOTHER THING IS ABOUT THE MONEY. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL BRING IN THAT A DATA CENTER WILL BRING IN THE REVENUE THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING. UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IF THERE'S DATA CENTERS EVERYWHERE, BUT HERE, PEOPLE WILL MOVE HERE AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO GET TAX MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE. 'CAUSE THAT WILL BE ENFORCED . SO IN THE LONG RUN, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE MORE MONEY TOO. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. HELLO, MY NAME IS DEBORAH SHEETS IN THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT, AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE FOR ALL OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE HEARD TONIGHT. I THINK THEY'RE ALL VERY LEGITIMATE REASONS AND THAT EVERYONE WHO'S SPOKEN HAS REALLY RAISED SOME VERY LEGITIMATE CO UM, POINTS. AND AS, UM, MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY AND NOT TO OUTSIDE BUSINESSES THAT MAY WANT TO COME IN AND, UM, CAUSE HARM, WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL. I DOUBT IT'S INTENTIONAL, BUT, UM, THAT THAT'S THEIR AIM. BUT IT, THERE'S DEFINITELY WOULD BE HARM, UH, TO THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, LIKELY TO PEOPLE. UM, NOISE, AIR POLLUTION, UM, WATER, UH, SHORTAGES. THESE ARE ALL HUGE ISSUES AND CANNOT BE OVERSHADOWED BY MAYBE SOME TEMPORARY FINANCIAL GAINS AND, UM, THAT, UM, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND, UM, AND A NEW POINT I HEARD TONIGHT THAT I HADN'T HEARD YET WAS IF YOU VOTE TO ALLOW THE CHANGE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN POSSIBLE, UM, UM, UH, EFFORTS TO, UM, WORK WITH OTHER SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT MAY COME UP, UM, FROM OTHER COUNTIES USE OF DATA CENTERS OR ALLOWANCE OF DATA CENTERS. ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE TONIGHT SAID THAT, THAT WE WOULD GIVE UP OUR, UM, OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT TYPE OF, UM, EFFORT. [03:55:01] AND, UM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT POINT. ALSO, I KNOW OTHER COUNTIES HAVE SPENT, I THINK IT WAS PRINCE WILLIAM THAT I HEARD BEFORE, I COULD BE WRONG, $1.7 MILLION TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST THE HARMS THEY SUFFERED FROM DATA CENTERS THAT WERE, UM, PROMISED NOT TO HAPPEN. AND, UM, OUR COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY, I BELIEVE. AND, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE, UH, THE RIGHT DECISION NOW AND SO NOT HAVE, UH, SUFFER LOSSES OF THAT KIND OR THE KINDS, UH, NEEDED TO FIX ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGES, WHICH COULD TAKE MANY GENERATIONS AND LOTS OF FUNDS. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TONIGHT. I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LONG NIGHT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION. AND, UM, PLEASE TAKE THIS VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY. THERE'S SO MANY HARMS THAT CAN COME FROM THIS, UH, POSSIBILITY. THANK YOU. UM, BRIAN ULLO FROM THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT. UM, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE SAN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, AND IRONICALLY I MOVED BACK TO THE VALLEY TO KEEP A FAMILY FARM RUNNING. AND I ACTUALLY LIVED IN THE, UH, WETLAND, UM, UH, PEARL CRESCENT OF PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY AND SAW THE DATA CENTERS GOING IN THERE, MOVED BACK TO KEEP THE FAMILY FARM RUNNING IN THE VALLEY. AND, AND HERE I AM TODAY. UM, I MEAN, LISTENED TO EVERYBODY. I BACK THEIR SENTIMENT. I'M PUTTING MYSELF IN THE SHOES OF SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE PRO DATA CENTER OR MORE FORWARD THINKING WHEN IT COMES TO TECH. UM, IF I WAS THAT PERSON HERE TODAY, I WOULD KNOW THAT I NEED TO RETHINK THIS, GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND CORRECTLY EDUCATE THE PEOPLE BECAUSE I WOULD KNOW THAT IF I WAS TO VOTE FOR THE DATA CENTERS, I'D BE FORCING MYSELF ON A COMMUNITY THAT DOES NOT WANT THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SCARRED BY INDUSTRY IN THE PAST. THE SCARS ARE REAL, AND I WOULD KNOW THAT I NEED TO REAPPROACH THIS WITH MUCH MORE CARE DELICACY STUDIES THAT NEED TO BE DONE, THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN DONE. MORE DATA NEEDS TO COME OUT. EVEN IF I'M SAYING THIS AS SOMEONE WHO HYPOTHETICALLY WOULD BE PRO DATA CENTER, I WOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT RIGHT AT THIS TIME AND I WOULD VOTE NO. SO I ASK THOSE WHO MAY BE EVEN THINKING IN THEIR MIND, THEY'RE PRO DATA CENTER REQUIRE BEEN WON OVER BY THOSE ARGUMENTS THAT IT IS NOT THE TIME TO DO IT NOW. UH, PLEASE VOTE NO. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS MARBURY. I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. AND, UH, A POINT I HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD BROUGHT UP IS LIKE, JUST FROM THE, THE TECHNOLOGY ANGLE WITH MODERN DATA CENTERS AND HOW DRASTICALLY THEY DIFFERENT ARE DIFFERENT THAN FROM WHEN THEY WERE FIVE YEARS AGO. NEXT YEAR, ONE OF THE MAJOR MANUFACTURERS OF HARDWARE IS GOING TO BE DEPLOYING ONE MEGA WATT RACKS. SO A RACK SIX, SEVEN FEET TALL, LITTLE WIDER THAN 19 INCHES. IT'S WHAT STORES ALL THE COMPUTERS THAT PROCESS EVERYTHING. THIS HAS A 500 KILOWATT ACCESS LINE, SO THAT'S HALF OF A RACK OF A CUTTING EDGE NEXT YEAR MODEL TECHNOLOGY. ALSO, THESE THINGS CANNOT BE AIR COOLED. THEY PRODUCE SO MUCH HEAT BECAUSE THEY USE SO MUCH POWER. THEY CANNOT BE AIR COOLED, THEY HAVE TO USE WATER AND A SMATTERING OF HEADLINES FROM THE PAST YEAR. UM, IMPERIAL VALLEY COMPUTER MANUFACTURING HAD PROMISED TO NOT TAP INTO THE LOCAL WATER SUPPLY TO BUILD A DATA CENTER. THEY WERE GONNA GO THE AIR COOLED ROUTE. THEY ARE NOW SUING FOR ACCESS TO 260 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER ACCESS A YEAR IN THE COLORADO RIVER. UM, GOOGLE AND, UH, AMAZON AND FACEBOOK HAVE YEARLY WATER USAGE STATISTICS THAT THEY RELEASE. GOOGLE IS UP 30% YEAR ON YEAR USAGE FOR WATER BECAUSE THE HEAT COOLING IS SO DEMANDING. META FACEBOOK IS THE ONLY ONE REDUCED, UH, RELEASING INDIRECT WATER USAGE NUMBERS, AND THAT'S 20 TIMES HIGHER THAN THEIR DIRECT USAGE OF WATER. UM, THERE WAS A DATA CENTER FOUND IN GEORGIA WHO HOOKED UP A UNKNOWN SECRET WATERLINE AND SIPHONED OUT 29 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN THEY STARTED COMPLAINING WHEN THEY NOTICED THEIR WATER PRESSURE WAS GOING LOW. AND THE COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNMENT, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAD NO IDEA THEY HAD EVEN DONE THIS. THIS IS THE INDUSTRY YOU WERE INVITING IN. THEY SAY THINGS AND THEY DO THE OPPOSITE. SO I RECOMMEND VOTING NO FOR THIS EFFORT ON THE REZONING OF RULES AND, UH, THE ACT, WHATEVER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [04:00:01] HELLO. LOU IS SPO FROM THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, SO I HEARD THAT THEY SAID THERE THAT, THAT THIS WOULD MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, BUT THEY HAVE PROVEN OTHERWISE WITH THIS, UM, AMENDMENT. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO A LOT OF, UH, WHAT AIR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES DO. UM, SOME THINGS ARE RELAXED VERY, A LOT MORE. MY ISSUE IS ONE WITH NOISE. UH, AIR CODE EXPLICITLY EXCLUDES CIVIL PENALTIES AND, UM, FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON ANY INDUSTRY WITH NOISE ISSUES. THAT IS PRETTY MUCH IN OUR CODE. SO I RECOMMEND THAT WE ACTUALLY START HARDENING DOWN OF WHAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT, NOT JUST DATA CENTERS, EVERYTHING, AND MAKE SURE ANY INDUSTRY THAT WANTS TO DO WITH DATA CENTERS ARE DOING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. MY OTHER ISSUE IS THERE'S A LOT OF RELAXED LANGUAGE. I I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD MAKE SURE OR CONVICT SOMEBODY FOR NOT MEETING A GOOD FAITH EFFORT. UM, THERE'S PROBLEMS WITH GENERATORS. THEY, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY GENERATORS THEY CAN HAVE, THEY HAVE, THEY CAN RUN NONSTOP FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM EVERY DAY THAT THERE'S NO LIMITS ON THE EXECUTIVE HOW MANY HOURS. AND THEN THERE'S EMERGENCIES. UH, I KNOW WE HAD HEAT PROBLEMS RECENTLY. ARE THEY GOING TO TURN ON ALL THEIR GENERATORS DURING A HEAT, A HEAT WARNING AND SAY IT'S AN EMERGENCY AND GO, GO ALL IN ON THEIR GENERATORS. I'VE SENT YOU A LOT OF THINGS I URGE YOU TO LOOK OVER. I, I, I HEARD A LADY SOUND LIKE SHE KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT PLANNING AND SHE PRETTY MUCH ECHOED A LOT OF WHAT I HAD TO SAY PREVIOUSLY. SO PLEASE DENY THIS. IT IS A VERY BAD AMENDMENT. I MEAN, LIKE, IF, IF THEY'RE GONNA SAY THEY'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SHOW US YOU'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. DON'T GO THROUGH WITH THIS. IT'S BAD. UM, AND IN MY MY POINT OF VIEW, DON'T EVEN ALLOW THEM TO COME IN, START WORKING ON HARDENING THEIR ORDINANCES. MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN'T COME IN. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS CELIA COOLEY. I'M FROM THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. SO I'M A RECENT GRADUATE OF JMU AND I COMPLETED MY CAPSTONE RESEARCH ON ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OF THE SHENANDOAH RIVER. I'VE LIVED IN FRONT ROW SINCE I WAS 12 YEARS OLD. I WAS RAISED HERE AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT. DISREGARDING THE DEVASTATION OF THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL CAUSE TO COMMUNITY PRIDE. THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION DATA CENTERS CAUSE IS IRREFUTABLE AS A BIOLOGY MAJOR INTERESTED IN WATER QUALITY. I KNOW HOW THE SHENANDOAH RIVER WILL BE IMPACTED. THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTAL DEVASTATION WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE ALREADY THREATENED SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND RIVER. THE INCREASE IN IMPERVIOUS SURFACES NEXT TO THE RIVER RIVER WILL INCREASE URBAN RUNOFF FROM FRONT ROYAL. THE AMOUNT OF WATER UTILIZED FOR THE COOLANT SYSTEM DEVASTATES THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY SOURCE OF OF WATER. AND THIS WATER EVAPORATES AFTER IT'S GOING THROUGH THE COOLANT SYSTEM. SO THAT MEANS IT WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THE WATERSHED. THIS ISN'T JUST AFFECTING US, IT'S AFFECTING THE ENTIRE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT ALSO COMPLETELY EMANATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS LAND TO BE UTILIZED FOR OTHER RE USES OR RESTORED. IN ADDITION, RESEARCH HAS PROVEN DATA CENTER TECHNOLOGY WILL BE OBSOLETE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, LEAVING WARREN COUNTY WITH A HUGE WOUND THAT WILL NOT BE HEALED FOR YEARS TO COME. I HAVE HEARD MENTIONED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO SUPPORT DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT THAT THIS SITE IS INEVITABLE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU GUYS THAT IT IS NOT YOU. ME AND EVERYONE HERE HAVE THE POWER TO RESTORE THIS SITE AND PROTECT THE SHENANDOAH RIVER. YOU HAVE LISTENED TO OVER HALF OF THIS ROOM. I'D SAY THE MAJORITY OF THIS ROOM. AND THEY DO NOT SUPPORT DATA CENTERS BEING HERE. UM, THE DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS CLAIM THEY'RE HELPING AND THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY WHAT WE WANT. SO I'M HERE TO IMPLORE YOU GUYS TO PLEASE LISTEN TO US. WE DO NOT WANT THIS HERE. AND UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY WITH MY REMAINING TIME, I AM REALLY INTERESTED AND, UH, IN INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY'S, UM, ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER. I'VE BEEN A RIVER MONITOR OF HAPPY CREEK, WHICH RUNS THROUGH FRONT ROYAL SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. I THINK ABOUT 15 YEARS OLD. I WAS CERTIFIED. I'M REALLY INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY. UM, I WANT THIS TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY PLACE FOR EVERYONE AND HOPEFULLY MY CHILDREN. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO [04:05:01] MUCH. HI, MY NAME IS SARAH ERNST FROM THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. UH, I OWN AND OPERATE A SMALL REGENERATIVE FARM IN WARREN COUNTY. UM, WE'RE FOCUSED ON NATIVE GRASSLAND RESTORATION AND SMALL FOOD PRODUCTION. LIKE MANY SMALL FARMS AND BUSINESSES IN WARREN COUNTY. WE DON'T SEE AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM IS SEPARATE. UH, BROOKINGS REPORT ON THE DMV PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER, 2025 FOUND THAT 43% OF CONSUMER SPENDING IN WARREN COUNTY FROM MAY, 2021 THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2025 CAME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE REGION. BROOKINGS ATTRIBUTED THIS CA UH, ATTRIBUTED THAT TO WARREN COUNTY'S LOCATION AT THE GATEWAY TO THE SHADO NATIONAL PARK IN THE SHADO VALLEY. AS YOU'VE HEARD MANY TIMES, I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS VERY WELL AWARE THAT PUTTING DATA CENTERS AT THE GATEWAY TO THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY WILL NOT HELP TOURISM AND BUSINESS IN THE COUNTY. ACCORDING TO VIRGINIA TECH, THEY'RE AN ESTIMATED 230 AGRITOURISM VENUES, UH, IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY SUPPORTING ABOUT $220 MILLION IN VISITOR SPENDING AND, UH, $22 MILLION IN STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUE. THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MOVED INTO WARREN COUNTY IN RECENT YEARS THAT ARE LOOKING TO BUILD ON THIS AND DEVELOP THE VALLEY AS AN A AGRITOURISM AND NATURE LOCATION. UH, CERTAINLY HAVING AN EXTRA $2 MILLION IN TAX REVENUE FROM A DATA CENTER DOES NOT SEEM WORTH IT TO ME TO SACRIFICE THE WORK OF MANY SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE AREA. UM, WHEN IT COMES TO AGRI AGRITOURISM, 83% OF AGRITOURISM SPENDING OCCURS OFF THE FARMS WITHIN LOCAL COMMUNITIES, SUPPORTING RESTAURANTS, LODGINGS BREWERIES, MARKETS, GAS STATIONS, SHOPS, CAMPGROUNDS, AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WARREN COUNTY HAS LAID OUT OUR IMPORTANT BUSINESSES AND IS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE DATA CENTER MODEL. THE VIRGINIA JOINT LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, AUDIT AND REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT FROM DECEMBER, 2024 FOUND THAT A TYPICAL 250,000 SQUARE FOOT DATA CENTER MAY HAVE ABOVE 50 FULL-TIME WORKERS, HALF OF WHOM MAY BE CONTRACT WORKERS. CONSTRUCTION JOBS USUALLY LAST 18 TO 12 MONTHS, UH, SORRY, 12 TO 18 MONTHS. AGRITOURISM AND RURAL SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT DISTRIBUTED LOCALLY ROOTED ECONOMIES OVER TIME. DATA CENTERS MAY PRODUCE TAX REVENUE, BUT THEY DO NOT CREATE THE SAME KIND OF BROAD NETWORK OF LOCALLY OWNED LIVELIHOODS. THEY'RE LAND INTENSIVE, POWER INTENSIVE, CAPITAL INTENSIVE, BUT THEY ARE NOT VERY LABOR INTENSIVE ONCE THEY'RE BUILT. I'M ASKING THE COUNTY NOT TO SACRIFICE AN EXISTING VISITOR AND FARM ECONOMY FOR AN INDUSTRIAL USE WHOSE BENEFITS ARE NARROW. THE QUESTION SHOULD NOT SIMPLY BE WHETHER DATA CENTERS ADD REVENUE, IT SHOULD BE WHO BENEFITS, WHO BEARS THE COST, AND WHAT EXISTING LOCAL BUSINESSES WILL BE HARMED. THANK YOU. NAME IS VINCENT MEESKA AND I LIVE IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT. SO I WANNA BEGIN BY THANKING, UH, YOU AGAIN FOR LISTENING TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE MANY CONCERNS THEY HAVE ADDRESSED REGARDING DATA CENTERS. I JUST WANNA BEGIN TO CLARIFY REGARDING THE LAST MEETING MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UH, AND TO INCLUDE THAT IN THIS, UH, PRE BRIEF PRESENTATION I PRESENTED, UM, I RESPECTFULLY CRITICIZED THE KEY ELEMENTS OF RUSH MARK'S STATEMENT OF JUSTIFICATION. NUMBER ONE IS ELECTRICITY, TWO WATER, AND THREE, THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES THAT THE APPLICANT PRESENTED REGARDING DATA CENTERS. AND IT WAS ECHOED BY MANY OF THE AS SPEAKERS THAT I'VE COME FORWARD AND TALKED ABOUT IT. AND, AND SINCE THE LAST MEETING, THE TOWN COUNCIL PASSED A MOTION DISAPPROVING DATA CENTERS WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS. AND GIVEN THAT RECENT EVENT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO FOLLOW SUIT IN WHAT THE TOWN COUNCIL DID AND, UM, ISSUE ITS RECOMMENDATION NOT TO ALLOW DATA CENTERS IN WAR COUNTY. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS TOM SR. I LIVE IN THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME FOR TONIGHT AND FOR HEARING US ALL OUT. PLEASE VOTE NO TO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGES. I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE NOT MET A SINGLE PERSON HERE IN THE COUNTY OR TOWN WHO WOULD LIKE DATA CENTERS AT PRESENT. UM, PLEASE GIVE US THE COMMUNITY, UM, A VOICE IN HOW OUR COMMUNITY IS SHAPED. GOOD EVENING PLANNING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS PETER MEESKA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE FORK [04:10:01] DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE RESIDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS CRITICAL ISSUE THAT WILL AFFECT THE SHORT TERM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF CHANGES TO THE COUNTY. I STRONGLY URGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO RECOMMEND THE DENIAL OF THE ORDINANCE CHANGE TO THE ZONING TEXT THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR DATA CENTERS TO BE DEVELOPED HERE IN WARREN COUNTY. AS MOST OF YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE, THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL RECENTLY UNANIMOUSLY VOTED DOWN A PLANNED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT WOULD'VE ALLOWED DATA CENTERS IN THE INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT DISTRICT BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT. NOT ONLY DID THE COUNCIL DENY AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, THEY PLACED A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON APPLICATIONS FOR DATA CENTERS AND ALSO DIRECTED THE TOWN PLANNING COMMISSION TO DRAFT REGULATIONS TO PROHIBIT DATA CENTERS IN EVERY ZONING DISTRICT. WHY THE COUNCIL SAID, AND I QUOTE THIS DIRECTION IS MADE BASED UPON COUNCIL'S DETERMINATION THAT DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT WILL ADVERSELY IMPACT THE HEALTH SAFETY, WELFARE, INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, AND CHARACTER OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. HOW MUCH MORE SO ARE THESE IMPACTS GOING TO BE FELT IF DATA CENTERS ARE ALLOWED AND GIVEN AN OPEN DOOR ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY? THIS COMMISSION HAS THIS ONE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ONE SIMPLE ACTION THAT WILL KEEP THE STATUS QUO AND PROTECT WARREN COUNTY. WARREN COUNTY DOES NOT CURRENTLY ALLOW DATA CENTERS AS A PERMISSIBLE USE OPENING WITH VAGUE LANGUAGE WRITTEN BY ALL OUTSIDE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT FIRMS IS BRA IS BAD PRECEDENT. WE DO NOT WANT OUR LOCAL LAWS TO BE WRITTEN BY BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT COMPANIES THAT WORK ON A MACRO INDUSTRIAL LEVEL SCALE, PRIORITIZING SELF-INTERESTS OVER THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF THIS COUNTY, CITIZENS, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AROUND US. IT WAS, I'LL BE VERY CHARITABLE, BUT IT WAS VERY SHORTSIGHTED FOR MR. DAN FROM RUSH MARK TO CLAIM THAT THE ROCKLAND PROPERTY IS THE BEST PLACE TO BUILD DATA CENTERS. HE MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO ASK THE RESIDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY BEFORE MAKING SUCH CLAIMS. PLEASE PROTECT OUR FARMS. PLEASE PROTECT OUR HOMES, PROTECT OUR WATER, PROTECT WARREN COUNTY. RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS LUCIA MARCA. I'M A RESIDENT OF FORK DISTRICT. UM, I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA SPECIFIC, THE SHENANDOAH COUNTY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND I ATTEND COLLEGE HERE AND NOW. MY LAST RESEARCH PAPER WAS ON THE EFFECTS AND IMPACTS OF DATA CENTERS, SPECIFICALLY IN VIRGINIA AND IN MY RESEARCH FOR THAT, I'VE COME ACROSS MANY OF THE STATISTICS PRESENTED HERE TODAY AND MANY MORE. ALL DETAILING THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF DATA CENTERS. ANY ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT ARE A STRONG REASON TO DENY DATA CENTERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. THESE REASONS ARE INSURMOUNTABLE. I URGE YOU TO RECOMMEND A RESOUNDING NO TO DATA CENTERS JUST AS WE TODAY HAVE UNITED TO SAY NO. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNA MEESKA. I LIVE IN FORK DISTRICT. I THANK YOU YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR ATTENTION, AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK OUR VOICE LOUD AND CLEAR. I THANK YOU ALL THE FELLOW CITIZENS FOR THEIR VERY ELOQUENT, DETAILED, WELL RESEARCHED, RECOMMENDATION, INSIGHTS, REMARKS, EVERYTHING WAS REALLY VERY, VERY HELPFUL. I HOPE FOR ME. BUT I HOPE EVEN FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONE NOW THAT HAD TO TAKE AN HISTORICAL MOMENTOUS THIS DECISION. AND IT MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN DEFINE WHAT IS THE COMMON GOOD THAT IS THE AIM OF ANY GOOD PIECE OF LEGISLATION DECISION, THE REGARDS A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE. AND, UH, I I WANT YOU REALLY TO CONSIDER THAT WE, WE HAVE TO WORK FOR THE [04:15:01] COMMON GOOD BECAUSE AT THE END IS WHAT REALLY WORKS. AND, UH, TAKING IN CONSIDERATION THAT THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, BEAUTIFUL FOR NATURE AND BEAUTIFUL FOR THE PEOPLE. AND WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE. WE ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT REPRESENTATIVE OF THESE PEOPLE LIVING HERE. I WANT YOU TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION THE ELDERLY THAT THEY NEED OUR CARE, OUR LOVE, OUR PRESENCE, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY DATA CENTER. I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER YOUNG FAMILIES, THEY ARE COME HERE, YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY WANNA START A BUSINESS. THEY WANNA START THE FAMILY HAVING CHILDREN. I WANT TO CONSIDER EVERYBODY WITH ANY PLACE IN THE SOCIAL LADDER LIKE WE CAN SEE. WE ARE, WE ARE PEOPLE, WE ARE NOT CORPORATION TOGETHER. WE CAN HAVE OVERPOWER CORPORATION, BUT WE NEED TO STAY TOGETHER AND THINK WHAT IS THE COMMON GOOD? I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER THE CHILDREN THE FUTURE. WHAT ARE WE GONNA LEAVE FOR LEGACY? THE CHILDREN ARE THE ONE, THEY DON'T HAVE VOICE HERE IN THIS ASSEMBLY, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE AFFECTED FOR A LONGER TIME THAN WE WILL BE AFFECTED BY YOUR DECISION. SO PLEASE, I REALLY BEG YOU, ASK YOU URGE YOU TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF ALL THESE PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF ORDINANCES. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. MY NAME IS MATTHEW HAYES. UM, I'M FROM THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT COMPANIES LIKE RUSH MARK ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN DOMINION. WHEN THEY CAME HERE 10 YEARS AGO, ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, AND THEY MADE THESE CLAIMS THAT THEY WERE GONNA BRING JOBS WHEN THEY BROUGHT THIS CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEW POWER PLANT. BUT ALL THEY BROUGHT REALLY WAS THESE TEMP WORKERS THAT BROUGHT OPIOIDS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TAINTED OUR COMMUNITY FOR NOT JUST FIVE OR 10 YEARS, BUT FOR A LIFETIME. AND HOW ARE THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE GOING TO BRING TEMP WORKERS? 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BRING TEMP WORKERS. THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THE CLAIM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY'RE GONNA BRING JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE GONNA BRING TEMP WORKERS. AND THEN WHAT ARE THEY GONNA BRING? WHAT DRUGS ARE THEY GONNA BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY NEXT? THEY'RE GONNA BE FENTANYL. MORE FENTANYL. I DON'T WANT THAT IN MY COMMUNITY. I'VE DIE. I'VE, I'VE HAD TOO MANY FRIENDS DIE FROM THAT S**T. AND IT, IT, IT, IT, I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO'S, WHO'S HAD FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, FRIENDS, IT DOESN'T MATTER. IT, THE OPIOID CRISIS IS, IT'S CONTRIBUTED TO EVERYTHING AND DATA CENTERS AREN'T ALONE. THANK YOU. HELLO, I AM GIANNA ZINGFIELD. I'M IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT. UM, I AM 14 YEARS OLD AND JUST STARTING HIGH SCHOOL OUT HERE. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, ALMOST 11. AND I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ALL THIS. UH, SO I'M STILL JUST GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL. UM, BUT I DO HAVE A REQUEST THAT IF YOU DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE MADE, AND BY ALL MEANS I DISAGREE WITH IT, UM, DO NOT LET THE DATA CENTERS WRITE IT. UM, THIS IS COMPARABLE TO GIVING A FOX THE ABILITY TO MAKE SECURITY FOR YOUR HAND HOUSE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SYLVIA MARCA AND I LIVE IN THE FORK DISTRICT. UH, SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING NEW. YOU HEARD A LOT OF STATISTICS, UH, PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO SPEAKING TONIGHT AND DOING RESEARCH EVEN BEFORE, UH, THIS MEETING AND NUMEROUS OTHER MEETINGS, UH, THAT WE'VE HAD. SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY BRIEFLY, UH, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, UH, AND FOR ALLOWING US ALL TO SPEAK TONIGHT. UH, BUT TRULY DO LISTEN, UM, TAKE OUR, WHAT WE'VE ALL SAID TONIGHT AND AMPLIFY OUR VOICES WITH THE POWER OF YOUR POSITION, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH THIS, UH, DECISION. AND SO WE ASK THAT YOU AMPLIFY OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES. AND PLEASE, I URGE YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO PLEASE RECOMMEND THE DENIAL OF THE ORDINANCE CHANGE TO THE ZONING TEXT THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR DATA CENTERS TO BE [04:20:01] DEVELOPED HERE IN WARREN COUNTY. PLEASE, UH, VOTE NO THANK YOU. AMI HAYES, SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT. I'VE LIVED IN WARREN COUNTY MY WHOLE LIFE. MY WHOLE LIFE. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE INSULT OUR INTELLIGENCE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US. THE WHOLE NATION LAUGHED AT OUR EPA SCANDAL. THEY LAUGHED AT US FOR LETTING IMPERIALIST FOREIGN RULERS PARADE DOWN OUR STREETS AND THEY'LL LAUGH AT US TOO IF WE ALLOW ANY OR ONE NUMBER OF DATA CENTERS AT THE GATEWAY TO THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. HOW ABOUT THIS? FOR THE CHAPTER OF WARREN COUNTY'S HISTORY, WE FIND OURSELVES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY FOR ONCE DURING, DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES OF DECISIVE BIPARTISAN EFFORTS TO LIMIT, IF NOT OUTRIGHT FAN DATA CENTERS. THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAS OVER 1 BILLION PEOPLE. VIRGINIA HAS LESS THAN 10 MILLION CONSIDERING THAT WHY DOES VIRGINIA HAVE OVER 100 MORE DATA CENTERS ALONE THAN A NATION OF 1 BILLION PEOPLE? BECAUSE THEY WANT A FLOCK CAMERA ON EVERY SINGLE STREET CORNER IN OUR COUNTRY AND FIVE AIMED AT EVERY SINGLE ANGLE OF OUR SCHOOLS. THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MUCH DATA IS BEING COLLECTED ON OUR YOUNGEST AND MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS, LET ALONE THE REST OF US. BUT RUSH MARK WANTS OUR COUNTRY COMPLACENT IN THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL SURVEILLANCE OF CHILDREN AND FOR WHOM ARE SO PAVED THE MOST FOR THAT DATA TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH IT. ASK YOURSELVES IF YOU'D WANT YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, YOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN BEING SPIED ON BY MEN IN SUIT WHO CAME HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF A TABLE THEY SET ON. IT DOESN'T TAKE A CAVEMAN TO KNOW OUR WATER IS LIFE AND OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE DENIAL OF THIS DATA CENTER IS THE EASIEST DECISION YOU CAN MAKE. AND EVERYONE HERE IS PROOF OF THAT, ESPECIALLY THE ONES COMPLACENT WITH THESE DATA CENTERS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS COLBY COSTELLO. I LIVE AT THE PORK DISTRICT. UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TONIGHT. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UH, MUCH OF WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID TONIGHT. I AGREE WITH, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE DATA ON ANDREA SITERS IS CLEAR. THE IDEA THAT A CLOSED LOOP COOLING SYSTEM IS SUSTAINABLE AND COST FREE METHOD IS SUB SUBSEQUENTLY FALSE. UH, CLOSED LOOP COOLING SYSTEMS ARE PRONE TO FREQUENT LEAKS REQUIRING FREQUENT REFILLS, NOT A ONE-TIME WATER TOLL. AND THEY REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT ENERGY TO COOL THE WATER. PLEASE DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CASE STUDIES FROM DATA CENTERS ON COUNTIES ALL ACROSS THE NATION. THIS ISN'T JUST FACEBOOK MOM PSEUDOSCIENCE OR THE PRODUCT OF SMALL TOWN FEAR MONGERING PROPAGANDA, BUT RATHER REAL AND VARIABLE DATA. UH, THE SUPPOSED ECONOMIC BENEFIT IS NEGLIGIBLE. AND WHILE I'M CONCERNED FOR THE STRAIN ON THE WATER DE WATER AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, I'M PRIMARILY CONCERNED FOR THE TREMENDOUS BLIGHT, THE TREMENDOUS AND IRREVERSIBLE BLIGHT ON THE VISUAL LANDSCAPE AND THE TREMENDOUS NOISE PRODUCED BY THE DATA CENTERS. THIS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER PROPERTY VALUE. AND THIS IS A CONSEQUENCE WHICH DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE VALUES AND THE DESIRES OF THE PEOPLE OF WARREN COUNTY. THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE, THE BENEFIT TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS TOWN IS SMALL AND THE BENEFIT TO TECHNOLOGICAL ELITES IS SUPREME. THIS IS THE TYPE OF DEAL WHICH REMINDS ONE OF LARGE SWATHS OF LAND BEING TRADED FOR GLASS BEADS OR SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE, UH, BEING TRADED BY THE CHIEFTAINS SOLD OUT TO THE CROWN FOR BAGS OF GOLD, WHICH ROBBIE BURNS FAMOUSLY CALLED THOSE CHIEFTAINS A PARCEL OF ROGUES IN A NATION. ALL THESE SEEMED LIKE GOOD IDEAS AT THE TIME, BUT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THESE ACTIONS WERE FELT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. NEVERTHELESS, REGARDLESS OF ANY ARGUMENT PRO OR AGAINST THE DATA CENTER, UM, YOUR POLAR STAR AND YOUR GUIDING, UH, PRINCIPLE AS OFFICIALS IS TO OPERATE ON THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. UM, AND I THINK THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE IS CLEAR. I WOULD URGE YOU TO PLEASE VOTE TO RESTRICT DATA CENTERS IN ALL CAPACITY. I REALLY MEAN THIS. UH, YOUR COUNTRYMEN WILL SINCERELY LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU, UH, IF YOU, UH, OPERATE IN THIS WAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU. CHEERS. MY NAME IS PETER TAPAK. I'M IN THE HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT. I'VE LIVED IN THIS COUNTY FOR 13 YEARS. I'VE GOTTEN MARRIED HERE. WE HAVE THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN. WE HOPE TO STAY HERE AND I HOPE TO RAISE MY CHILDREN WITH THE DESIRE ULTIMATELY TO STAY HERE THEMSELVES. WE LOVE THIS COUNTY. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD OTHER [04:25:01] THAN TO ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF THE OVER HUNDRED SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN TONIGHT. THIS IS THE VOICE OF WARREN COUNTY. I FIND IT FRANKLY QUITE SILLY THAT THE ONE PERSON WHO CAME UP TO S TO SUPPORT, UH, THE DATA CENTERS COMING INTO OUR COUNTY SUGGESTED THAT THE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT HERE TONIGHT ARE SOMEHOW THE SILENT MAJORITY. THIS IS THE VOICE OF WARREN COUNTY. THAT VOICE IS, HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR TONIGHT. PLEASE VOTE NO. IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT JUST THAT WE DON'T NEED THEM HERE, IT'S THAT WE NEED THEM NOT TO BE HERE. SO PLEASE VOTE NO THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS BEN ANDREWS. I'D JUST LIKE TO UH, SAY A COUPLE THINGS. UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK. UM, AND TO THIS GUY OVER HERE, THE MARINE THAT CAME UP HERE TO SPEAK. UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S SPOKE OUT TONIGHT ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. SO THAT WAY WE ALL HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH HERE TONIGHT. UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS THAT I DON'T SEE ANY ARTWORK AROUND THE ROOM, BUT THIS GUY'S BEEN LOOKING AROUND ALL NIGHT, STARING AT THE WALLS, LAUGHING, CHUCKLING AT EVERYONE TALKING. I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE DOES. NOW I'VE GOT YOUR ATTENTION. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I WOULD JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT BRING DATA CENTERS TO THIS AREA. UM, THERE'RE GONNA BE ABOUT A MILE FROM MY DAD'S HOUSE AND I WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE BY THAT EVERY DAY. HERE HE IS LOOKING AGAIN TO THE RIGHT. UM, THEY ALREADY HAVE A POWER PLANT THAT'S ABOUT A HALF A MILE FROM MY DAD'S HOUSE. AND ON A QUIET DAY WE CAN HEAR THE HUMMING OF IT. NOT TO MENTION IT'S COMPLETELY HIDEOUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO UP ON ANY OF THE MOUNTAINS AROUND HERE. ALL YOU SEE IS THREE POWER STACKS. I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHO EVEN APPROVED THIS GARBAGE AROUND HERE. NOT TO MENTION RSW PLACED RIGHT ALONG 5 22. WHY ARE WE H HOUSING ALL OF THESE, UM, CRIMINALS IN THIS COUNTY? I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IN THE LAST 10 YEARS WHY I DIDN'T GET INVOLVED IN ANY OF THIS. BECAUSE THE PLANNING OF ALL OF THIS ALONG 5 22 IS ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. SO TONIGHT WHEN YOU DO YOUR VOTE, WHICH I ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE CROWD TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER SO WE KNOW WHAT EXACTLY EVERYONE LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU GET READY TO SCREW ALL OF US. MAYBE YOU WON'T, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET READY TO SEE THAT HERE. JUST WHEN I'M DONE. UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO SAY, UH, I APOLOGIZE, UH, TO ABSOLUTELY NOBODY. 'CAUSE THE KING DOES WHAT THE HE WANTS VOTE NO. ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK? SEE NO ONE COME FORWARD. THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. AS IN OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, WE'LL OFFER THE APPLICANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A REBUTTAL. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE TIME. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT. UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHTFUL, UH, COMMENT AND PEOPLE SHARING PERSONAL, UH, PERSONAL THOUGHTS. UH, THEY'RE DEEPLY PERSONAL. UM, A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES DO NOT HAVE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND THAT HAS RESULTED IN A LOT OF THESE HORROR STORIES WITH DATA CENTERS. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING HAVE SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR ACOUSTIC DECIBEL LEVELS, WATER USAGE AND AIR COOLED AIR HANDLING UNITS. THESE ARE NOT EMPTY PROMISES. THESE ARE ISSUES THAT RUSH MARKETS WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR ACOUSTIC CONSULTANTS, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS TO CONFIRM THAT WE CAN COMPLY WITH THOSE. THE LAST THING WE WANNA DO IS BUILD A BUILDING AND THEN NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS, LOSE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND LOSE OUR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. THAT WOULD BE DISASTROUS FOR US, AND WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT. WE VIEW THIS AS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS WITH THE COUNTY. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE WOULD NEED TO DEMONSTRATE AS THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS SAY BEFORE WE GET FINAL SITE PLAN APPROVAL AND BEFORE WE GET A BUILDING PERMIT, THAT OUR DESIGN WOULD COMPLY WITH THOSE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. ONCE WE ARE COMPLETED WITH THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE WITHIN THOSE DECIBEL LIMITS AND ALL OTHER PERFORMANCE STANDARDS STIPULATED, THEREBY, NOT TO GET TOO TECHNICAL, BUT THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS STIPULATE A DECIBEL LEVEL OF 65 DURING NORMAL DAYTIME HOURS. THERE ARE ALSO SETBACK LIMITS [04:30:01] IN THOSE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. PERHAPS THE WAY FORWARD IS TO DISCUSS THOSE LIMITS. WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE SETBACK DISTANCE? WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE DECIBEL LEVEL? 65 DECIBELS IS BELOW THAT OF A BUSY ROADWAY. OUR SITE IS BETWEEN TWO BUSY ROADWAYS. PERHAPS THAT'S A CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION. LASTLY, WE BELIEVE A DATA CENTER AT ROCKLAND ROAD IS RESPONSIBLE CIVIL PLANNING. IT'S WITHIN THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR. IT BROADENS THE NON-RESIDENTIAL TAX BASE IN THE INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR THAT ALLOWS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND RUSTIC LAND OF WARREN COUNTY. THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS A DISCRETIONARY MECHANISM THAT THE COUNTY CAN USE TO APPROVE OR REJECT A DATA CENTER PROPOSAL. THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS WILL SEVERELY LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SITES THAT WOULD COMPLY WITH THOSE STANDARDS AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE DEVELOPED AS DATA CENTER. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. TIME FOR SOME DISCUSSION WITH US. MY OFFICIAL TALLY IS 108, NO TO ONE. YES, I DO WISH OUR JOB WAS THAT EASY, WHERE ALL WE HAD TO DO IS JUST COUNT HANDS, BUT WE HAVE TO WEIGH ALL THE FACTS AND ALL THE ISSUES AND COME UP WITH A DECISION BASED ON THAT, NOT JUST PUBLIC OPINION. UH, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. WELL, DURING OUR WORK SESSION, WE COVERED A LOT OF, A LOT OF GROUND, A LOT OF TECHNICAL STUFF, AND A LOT OF REPORTS WERE BOTH FROM LOUDOUN, FAIRFAX. MM-HMM . AS WELL AS MICHIGAN, UH, DENVER, AND UH, HARVARD UNIVERSITY. SO I KINDA THINK WE, I THINK WE KIND OF GOT A PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD EDUCATION WITH ABOUT IT. YEAH, I DO. THE TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT STUCK OUT TO ME WAS, I'VE HEARD TWO PERSONS TALK ABOUT IN COMPLIANCE, NOT NECESSARILY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND FOUR, TALKING ABOUT HOW THERE'S NOT A LOT OF EMPLOYEES HERE FROM A PLANNING COMMISSIONS ASPECT AND LOOKING AT ALL THE LAND USE ISSUES. THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES. BUT WITH THAT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BUILD A LOT OF HOUSES, AND I WOULD BET WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES. BUT WHEN YOU GET THROUGH THE WHOLE THING OF IT, I REALIZE THEY'RE TALKING NOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR ONE, WHICH WOULD BE AIR COOLED, NOT ALL OF 'EM ARE. RIGHT. AND I LIVE IN THE TOWN IN THE LAST TWO SUMMERS I'VE SEEN EMERGENCY WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES, AND ALSO IN THE TOWN, WE'RE KIND OF BLESSED TO HAVE OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, BE WITH TALENT POWER, PROVIDING OUR OWN, NOT THROWING STONES AT RAPPAHANNOCK, BUT WHEN YOU GET LETTERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER SAYING, PLEASE TURN YOUR LAMPS OFF BECAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP UP, THAT'S A PROBLEM. I, I FIRST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT, UM, AND FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT DURING THIS PROCESS, MAKING COMMENTS, PROVIDING YOUR CONCERNS, ATTENDING MEETINGS, EVEN GOING ALMOST TO MIDNIGHT NOW. THIS IS HOW GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. UH, FROM THE FEEDBACK WE'VE RECEIVED DURING THIS PROCESS, THE MAJOR AREAS OF CONCERN AS, AS I UNDERSTAND THEM, ARE WATER, NOISE, ELECTRICITY, AVAILABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, AND MAINTAINING THE COUNTY'S RURAL NATURE. IT'S CLEARLY A TOPIC THAT HAS A LOT OF INTEREST, UH, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTY GETS RIGHT. MM-HMM . PERSONALLY, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO DATA CENTERS AS A USE, BUT, AND I SAY THAT IS VERY STRONG, BUT IT'S A, A USE WITH UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW, WE NEED TO ESTABLISH STRONG GUARDRAILS BEFOREHAND. I DO NOT THINK THAT THE CURRENT TAX AMENDMENT BEFORE US HAS THESE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE. I DO BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE FOR WARREN COUNTY TO BE INTENTIONAL AND CREATE A STRONG ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES THESE CONCERN IN REAL WAYS. THE ISSUE IS NOT A CHOICE BETWEEN DATA CENTERS AND FARMS. IF A DATA CENTER WERE EVER TO BE ALLOWED, IT WOULD BE IN OUR INDUSTRIAL ZONE, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A USE LIKE A MANUFACTURING PLAN, WHICH COULD ALSO INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, NOISE, AND HEAVY UTILITIES AND DATA CENTERS. IN MY OPINION, A FUTURE ORDINANCE WOULD AT A MINIMUM NEED TO RESTRICT GROUNDWATER USE, UH, INCLUDE MINIMUM LOT SIZES AND SETBACKS THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE USE. ESTABLISH NOISE STANDARDS, MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT, ENSURE UTILITY [04:35:01] CAPACITY AND PROXIMITY AND PROTECT OUR VIEW SHEDS. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TODAY, UH, BUT FOR GOOD OR BAD DATA CENTERS ARE NOT A USE THAT'S GONNA GO AWAY AS DEMAND FOR DATA JUST CONTINUES TO GROW. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANTS TO PURSUE DATA CENTERS. I THINK WE, ALONG WITH STRONG COMMUNITY INPUT, COULD CREATE A STRONG ORDINANCE THAT COULD SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE. BUT WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED NOW, I DON'T FEEL IS RIGHT FOR WARREN COUNTY, AND I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS TEXT AMENDMENT RUSH. MARK MAY BE A GOOD PARTNER AND I THINK THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE. UH, BUT THIS IS SETTING A STANDARD THAT WOULDN'T JUST APPLY TO ONE SITE. WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND, AND HOW WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD AND SAYING, YOU READY FOR A MOTION? NOT, EXCEPT I DON'T WANNA SAY SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE BEFORE. I APPRECIATE ALL THE THANKS THAT EVERYONE GAVE TO US FOR STAYING UP, BUT TO ECHO WILL'S COMMENT HERE, THE THANKS BELONGS TO YOU TO COMING OUT AND STEPPING UP. WE'RE A 200 50-YEAR-OLD COUNTRY SIMPLY BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNGER PEOPLE. AND IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO STAND THERE AND, AND TALK TO PEOPLE. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EARL. I AGREE. AND READY? I'M READY. OKAY. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE FINDING THAT THIS PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE, OR GENERAL WELFARE AND IS NOT GOOD ZONING PRACTICE. I MOVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL. I SECOND THAT MOTION. OKAY. ALLISON, DO WE HAVE ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE. ABSOLUTELY. MR. BARNHART. AYE. MR. CURTIS? AYE. MR. GORDON? AYE. MR. MYERS? AYE. THAT'S IT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN, THIS, THIS IS ONLY OUR RECOMMENDATION. IT'LL BE FORWARDED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND YOU'LL GET TO HAVE FUN WITH THEM. ALSO, , WE'LL GIVE YOU A FEW MINUTES OF PEOPLE THAT WANNA CLEAR BEFORE WE CLOSE THE MEETING. [VII. Public Presentations] THERE'S PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS. THERE YOU GO. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS ARE LIMITED TO ISSUES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED ON THE MEETING AGENDA. IT'S INTENDED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLIC GIVE INPUT ON RELATIVE PLANNING ISSUES, NOT INTENDED AS A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. IF SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING I WANNA BRING UP THAT WE HAVEN'T COVERED TONIGHT, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE IT. I THINK YOU'RE SAFE. WE HAVE ONE. OH, WE DO. AND IF I MAY INTERRUPT YOU BEFORE YOU START, SIR. GOOD MORNING, LADIES. GENTLEMEN, . AH, YOU STILL GOT TWO MINUTES? I, I'M, I'M AT 1159. THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH. . OKAY, SIR. ENOUGH OF THE, ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. CHAIRMAN MYERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ERY SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT, UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY ADDRESS WHAT OCCURRED AT THE MEETING ON MAY 13TH, UH, BECAUSE IT RAISED CONCERNS THAT EXTENDED FAR BEYOND ANY SINGLE AGENDA ITEM THAT EVENING. AS PUBLIC INTEREST REACHED ONE OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS THAT COMMISSION HAS SEEN UNTIL TONIGHT, THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT WERE CHANGED. FOR THE MEETING ALONE, PUBLIC COMMENT WAS LIMITED TO ONE HOUR, AND AS A RESULT, NOT EVERYONE WHO CAME TO TO SPEAK WAS HEARD. MANY CITIZENS PREPARED REMARKS WAITED PATIENTLY AND LEFT WITHOUT EVER HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION. PUBLIC CONFIDENCE DEPENDS NOT ONLY ON FAIRNESS, BUT ON THE APPEARANCE OF FAIRNESS. WHEN THE RULES CHANGE AND ARE AMENDED ONLY FOR A MEETING DRAWING EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC INTEREST, PEOPLE NATURALLY QUESTION WHETHER THE PROCESS IS TRULY OPEN. THOSE WHO WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SPEAK OFTEN BECAME, BECAME THE VOICE FOR DOZENS OF OTHERS WHO NEVER HAD THE CHANCE. YET, THOSE CITIZENS WHO APPLAUDED THE SPEAKERS WHO REPRESENTED THEM, CHAIRMAN MYERS, YOU REPEATEDLY BANGED THE GAVEL AND ORDERED THE CLAUSE TO STOP. CITIZENS WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WERE DISCOURAGED FROM EVEN EXPRESSING RESPECTFUL SUPPORT. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAINTAINING ORDER AND DECORUM AND DISCOURAGING PUBLIC EXPRESSION. I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS HAS BEEN RELAXED FOR THIS HEARING TONIGHT. COMMISSIONER BARNHART LATER REFERRED TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF CITIZENS ATTENDING THAT MEETING AS A LYNCH MOB. THEY WERE NOT A MOB. THEY WERE YOUR NEIGHBORS, TAXPAYERS, VETERANS, PARENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND PROPERTY OWNERS WHO CARED ENOUGH ABOUT [04:40:01] WARREN COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. PUBLIC OFFICIALS SHOULD NEVER USE LANGUAGE THAT DEMEANS THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE. I WAS ALSO TROUBLED BY COMMENTS EMPHASIZING THAT THE COMMISSION IS APPOINTED RATHER THAN ELECTED AS THOUGH PUBLIC OPINION CARRIED LESS WEIGHT. APPOINTMENT DOES NOT ELIMINATE ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU EXERCISE AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY, AND WITH THAT AUTHORITY COMES THE RESPONSIBILITY TO LISTEN. FINALLY, I WAS CONCERNED BY THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER WORK SESSIONS SHOULD BE PUBLICIZED IN A WAY THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE PUBLIC ATTENDANCE. WORK SESSIONS MAY NOT INCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THEY ARE STILL PUBLIC MEETINGS. CITIZENS HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO OBSERVE THE DISCUSSIONS THAT SHAPE FUTURE DECISIONS. TRANSPARENCY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED, NOT AVOIDED. AS OUR NASCENT HAS JUST CELEBRATED 250 YEARS OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, WE ARE REMINDED THAT OUR REPUBLIC WAS FOUNDED ON THE BELIEF THAT GOVERNMENT ANSWERS TO THE PEOPLE NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THAT BELIEF IS REFLECTED IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT, WHICH PROTECTS THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE TO SPEAK TO PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. I ASK THIS COMMISSION TO REC TO RECOMMIT ITSELF TO TRANSPARENCY, CONSISTENT PROCEDURES AND RESPECT FOR EVERY CITIZEN. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS NOT A PROBLEM TO SOLVE. IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. AND THANK YOU AGAIN TONIGHT. FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU. I WILL SAY THE ONE HOUR LIMIT WORTH JUST FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOL OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. OKAY, WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SO MOVED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.