New acts slated for amphitheater; Run and walk holiday tour; SwimRVA hosts WinterFest meet
The future of the Iron Horse Business Park is uncertain after the Hanover County Board of Supervisors blocked its portion of the proposal.
Northern Virginia developer WestDulles Properties planned a 234-acre site straddling the Ashland-Hanover line. It came with 3.3 million square feet of data center space in addition to 49 single-family, detached homes.
Construction would have been done in phases, requiring at least 150,000 square feet of commercial space be completed before starting work on any of the homes.
According to the developer's estimates, tax revenue would have been $16 million per year to Hanover County after its third full year of operation, rising to $54.1 million in its 10th full year of operation. County staff said the Commissioner of Revenue reviewed those estimates and said they were reasonable based on what the developer promised to build.
People are also reading... Virginia Union University to remain on probation as financial problems continue 'Absolutely ridiculous:' why transfer portal sucked 10 starters from Richmond football We tried Can Can under the new owners. Here's what we found. Here's your Richmond Tacky Lights list for 2024 🎄🎁 3rd concert announced for new Richmond riverfront amphitheater One of Richmond's oldest buildings being demolished Virginia watchdog: Data centers mean big cost increases for Virginians Chesterfield adopts new transgender policy, rolls back prior protections Hanover baseball program misconduct investigation completed; coach's status undisclosed Chi-Chi's is making a comeback 20 years after its last restaurant closed Tacky Lights: 80,000 lights at Midlothian home Panel denies design plans for Virginia Museum of Fine Arts $261 million expansion Is 75-cent Powhite toll in Chesterfield going away? 673-acre Goochland property tops list of Richmond-area home sales for November Police respond to I-95 crash, find deadly shooting
WestDulles previously said it would take between two and five years to get the necessary permitting to begin construction.
The Town of Ashland had already approved the portion of the business park on its side of the border. The final remaining hurdle was for Hanover to approve the 40% that sits on its side.
Hanover's board on Wednesday voted unanimously against approving Iron Horse as a data center park.
Stoneman: 'Project is industrial in nature'
Supervisors said the final decision hinged on the overall height of the buildings, which would top 110 to 75 feet. They also worried about maintaining rural character in the transition from Ashland to Hanover, and the potential strain it would add to the curvy, two-lane Mount Hermon Road.
In calling a vote to deny the proposal, Beaverdam District Supervisor Jeff Stoneman said he was in an "unenviable" position where no decision could please everyone.
Hanover residents near the site have fought the project from the beginning. They said it would not only destroy the rural character of the community but the natural habitats for wildlife like deer and eagles. They also worried that the mouth of the neighborhood opened onto Mount Hermon Road.
Stoneman said he had to consider community character and the vision of nearby residents when considering his vote.
In calling a vote to deny the project, he said he did not like the way the project transitioned from a developed area into a rural area. He also worried about the traffic impacts of 49 homes feeding onto Mount Hermon Road.
"This project is industrial in nature and it's kind of a hard stop, then you move right into agricultural," Stoneman said. "Then the traffic impacts, I just don't think Mount Hermon Road can handle anything else."
State & Regional Politics Virginia watchdog: Data centers mean big cost increases for Virginians Dave Ress State & Regional Politics Powhatan approves $2.7 billion data center project Dave Ress
WestDulles initially pursued Iron Horse as a mixed-use development that included over 800 homes between Hanover and Ashland. Plans included 800,000 square feet of retail, office and commercial space. The front of the development along East Patrick Henry Road called for fast-food and convenience-store uses with offices toward the back.
Andy Condlin, a representative for the developer, said Ashland initially preferred the retail options as a revenue driver, but Hanover residents said they did not want any fast-food outlets or convenience stores on their side of the border.
"They preferred the data center project. So we literally just dropped (the initial plan)," Condlin said. "We were asked to do this, so we did it."
One proposed benefit of changing from retail and offices to data centers was a reduction in traffic. The data center plan reduced total homes from 800 units to just 49 single-family homes. There would be about 90% fewer cars using East Patrick Henry Road near its intersection with Interstate 95. That is seen as one of the most congested corridors in the county.
Cold Harbor Supervisor F. Michael Herzberg balked at the 110-foot height of the tallest data center buildings. Still, he said he preferred the data center option to the original plan with retail, housing and offices.
"I just wish there was a way," Herzberg said. "I hope there's maybe something worked out down the road."
Herzberg said he would vote to deny the park along with Stoneman, whose district the project is in.
Sue Dibble, South Anna District supervisor and Hanover's board chair, said she also liked the data center use but could not stomach the building height.
Download PDF
"For me, the buildings are just too tall. I think there's a market out there for something smaller," Dibble said. "I certainly wouldn't want to live next to it, no matter how much of a buffer I had. It's just not the right place."
State home to growing number of data centers
Condlin offered to delay a vote on the project so WestDulles could draw up a new plan with shorter data center buildings. Supervisors decided not to entertain the idea, and they voted to deny the project.
At this point, the future of the park is uncertain. It still carries the initial zoning from 2010, which includes 599 dwelling units, 286 of which are apartments, on the Hanover side of the border.
"We have approval from the Town for a Data Center and we have approval from the county pursuant to the underlying zoning for up to 599 dwelling units, which includes 286 apartments," Condlin said in a statement to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "We are in the process of determining the best way to move forward based on those approvals."
Data centers in general have been a blossoming industry in central Virginia, which sits on a fiberoptic superhighway. Three transatlantic, undersea cables come ashore in Virginia Beach before coming to Henrico County and then heading north along I-95 to Northern Virginia.
Around 70% of global internet traffic flows through Northern Virginia, according to a 2019 report by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
Hanover approved a 1,200-acre data center park just north of Ashland in March. That $1.8 billion project by Denver-based Tract was estimated to include tax revenues of $40 million per year over the first five years. It was approved with 110-foot-tall buildings and fiercely protested by locals.
Powhatan County also approved a $2.7 billion technology park in late October that includes 1.5 million square feet of space off Anderson Highway.
Real-estate To make homes affordable for working class, Henrico County will help pay Eric Kolenich 36 Richmond-area restaurants that closed or will close in 2024 Kabana Rooftop 21 Spoons Pad Thai Bryant's Cider Parterre 81/2 in Church Hill Southbound Burger Bach Midlothian Odyssey Jubilee Rusty Taco Kuba Kuba Dos Dancing Kilt Brewery Sincero Burger Bach West Broad Village The Hop Craft Pizza & Beer Steam Bell Beer Works Westray's Finest Ice Cream Can Can Café Rise Café Luxe New American Bar & Grill Tia Pablo Diablo Doughnuts RVA La Casita Izzy's Kitchen Carraba's Italian Grill Hurley's Tavern SB's Main Street Love Shack Nick's Roman Terrace Baker's Crust City Dogs District 5 Nama Indian Hatch Local Food Hall Coco + Hazel Saladworks
Sean Jones
(804) 649-6911
Tracking the news
WHAT HAPPENED: The Hanover County Board of Supervisors has rejected plans for a 234-acre parcel development near Patrick Henry Road and Mount Hermon Road.
THE BACKGROUND: Northern Virginia developer WestDulles Properties proposed the mixed-use project. Some residents raised concerns about the loss of natural habitat and congestion.
WHAT'S NEXT: The town of Ashland has approved the project in the portion of town. The project still carries the Hanover County zoning from 2010, which includes 599 dwelling units on the Hanover side of the border.
Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Sean Jones
Henrico and Hanover Counties Reporter
Author twitter Author email Follow Sean Jones Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today