A data center is a physical facility that houses critical IT infrastructure, such as servers, storage systems, and networking equipment, to store, process, and distribute data.

The need for data centers is growing rapidly due to the explosion of data, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), and digital transformation, which is driving the demand for massive computer power for processing, storing, and distributing data.  Even by accessing this document online, you are accessing it through a data center somewhere.  If you work from home or remotely, you are doing so through a data center somewhere.  If you use Facebook, Instagram or shop on-line you are using a data center somewhere.  The future is not less data centers, but more.

For the past 18 years, the Hanover County Comprehensive Plan has recommended various uses for this property ranging from business park to high density residential development.  The proposed land-use will be designated as Employment Center which allows M-1 zoning with all uses prohibited except data center use.  It has access to a major power transmission line and Ashland Road is classified as a Minor Arterial Road which connects to I-64 through Goochland County’s Rockville Commerce Center. Ashland Road is planned to be a future four lane divided highway.

1. Application for rezoning from A-1 to M-1.
2. Application to amend the comprehensive plan to “Employment Center” for this use.
3. Conditional Use Permit to allow electrical substations.
4. Special Exemption Permit for proposed building and fence heights.

A zoning application was submitted in 2016 for 932 age restricted homes.  The community is no longer feasible after a planned road connection to Dominion Club Drive was not available for an internal road connection.

There has not been an end user established for the buildings.

Older data center cooling technology did use evaporative cooling systems that used a lot of water that was lost in evaporation.  The data center equipment used in this project will be cooled with a closed water loop system that will be filled with water from imported tanker truck water.   There is no loss of water to evaporation.   https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2019/05/f63/data-center-water-efficiency-0.pdf

Water is not needed for the cooling system so the only demand will be for bathrooms and breakrooms for the workers which is why total usage is estimated to be 10,500 gpd (gallons per day) for all ten buildings.  This is the equivalent usage of 30 single family homes.   On-site wells will be used for this water demand.

Water is only needed to support 420 workers on site every day.  25 gpd/employee x 14 employees/shift x 3 shifts/day x 10 buildings = 10,500 gpd.

Given the low amount of water usage, local wells, with a similar usage of 30 homes will be sufficient for the data center water needs.

2-3 wells will be drilled at different locations on the property to provide water.  These wells will be similar to a well drilled for a single family home.

Studies have determined the underlying groundwater system is embedded in what’s called the ‘Petersburg Granite’ substrate that has a capacity to withdraw 30,000 gpd from each well with no significant impact to groundwater levels within 1,000 feet of each well.  10,500 gpd is equivalent to the well usage of 30 homes.

Studies have determined the underlying groundwater system is embedded in what’s called the ‘Petersburg Granite’ substrate that has a capacity to withdraw 30,000 gpd from each well with no significant impact to groundwater levels within 1,000 feet of each well.  10,500 gpd is equivalent to the well usage of 30 homes.

The aquifer for the proposed wells is different than the aquifer of your shallow well. If your well goes dry it will not likely be caused by drawing water from this deeper different aquifer.

These will serve as fire protection for the buildings and will initially be filled with well water. One tank will be a backup to the other. They will be initially filled at a safe withdrawal rate and only emptied in the event of a fire. 

The closest public sanitary sewer connection location is 5 miles away on the east side of Route 33 at Hanover County’s Grassy Swamp Creek pump station. 10,500 gpd of wastewater (based on the same water usage rate) is equivalent to the usage of 30 homes and can be treated onsite with engineered septic fields. Wastewater from the project will come from employee use of restrooms and break rooms, not from the cooling equipment.  A sanitary extension is not needed.

The plan has/will be updated for a septic system.  Onsite septic field treatment is a more effective solution for waste water treatment that has only 10,500 gallons per day, which is equivalent to the discharge from 30 homes.

The septic system will conform to commercial treatment standards, which is a higher standard than residential systems. A higher level of treatment will be required and the system will also be constantly monitored to ensure all systems are functioning.

The back up power system will be EPA Tier 4 generators that meet strict EPA emission standards and are regulated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Compared to Tier 3, Tier 4 generators “…reduce particulate matter by 95%, nitrogen oxides by 90% and virtually eliminate sulfur oxides completely.” More information can be found here:  https://woodstockpower.com/blog/overview-of-generator-epa-tier-ratings/.

SGES is approximately 1 mile south-southeast from the closest planned building. Given this distance, the predominance of south and westerly winds, and the use of Tier 4 generators, air quality impacts to SGES are very unlikely. KES is approximately 1 mile south-southwest from the closest planned building. Given this distance and location, it is more probable that it would have air pollution impacts from the industrial facilities located less than ½ mile away in Goochland County than from this project.

Measured at the property lines, this project will never exceed the current Hanover County Ordinance that limits noise impacts to adjacent agricultural and residential properties. It must be noted that the measurement is from the property line of the project, which means some natural existing buffers on adjacent properties (such as The Dominion Club Golf Course) will reduce the decibel level even further as measured from actual homes.

Hanover County noise ordinance restrictions for this property are 57dB from 7am to 10pm and 52dB from 10pm to 7am. Source: https://library.municode.com/va/hanover_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COCO_CH16NO_S16-10MAPESOPRLENOSO

Henrico County does not have a fixed decibel level in their noise ordinance.  

Older data centers are loud and not good examples of what to expect with newer data centers.  Much like cooling technology improvements, noise technology has evolved as well.  Recently built data centers are quieter with improved cooling technology, sound baffles, and quieter Tier 4 generators.

A proffer of the zoning case requires a noise study for each building within 30 days after its opening to ensure the noise ordinance is met.  If it fails the ordinance, corrective actions must be taken until the noise ordinance is met.

A proffer of the zoning case restricts testing between the hours of 7am-7pm, Monday through Saturday.  Standard practice is for monthly testing to ensure they will be operational in the event of a power failure. 

Each building is estimated to have 30 generators for backup electricity.

The generators are also subject to the Hanover County noise ordinance.  Tier 4 generators are much quieter than previous generator technologies. More information can be found here:   https://woodstockpower.com/blog/overview-of-generator-epa-tier-ratings/

The noise ordinance is valid now and for the life of the project regardless of the age of the equipment. If older equipment violates the noise ordinance it must be corrected.

The sound studies required by the zoning proffers will measure all levels of sound which include dBA and dBC sounds.

As proposed and designed, no one will be able to see any of the buildings.  Extensive study models have resulted in:

• 200’ Buffer along Ashland Road;
• 150’ Buffer along other properties;
• 100’ buffer along the 13^th hole of the Dominion Club (at that location there is already an existing 200’ Resource Protection Area (RPA) buffer on the Chickahominy River).

Building roofs will be no taller than 62’.  Because of the RPA, wetlands and other preserved open space, the mature forest of 75’ tall trees and more will filter any views of the buildings.  Pines and understory add to the filter.

Along Ashland Road, where the golf course is now seen through the trees, additional plantings and berms will be installed to conceal any buildings from view. 

A 6’ evergreen tree would not screen a building if the building was built close to Ashland Road. But since the buildings will be a significant distance from Ashland Road, a smaller tree can screen a larger building.  At initial planting, the trees may be 6’ but as they grow, they will get taller.

Hanover does not have a dark sky ordinance but rather a lighting ordinance that minimizes light pollution.  A proffered condition of the project prohibits the uplighting of buildings and building-mounted exterior lights can be no higher than 35 feet.  Site lighting cannot exceed 0.50 foot-candles at the inside of the perimeter buffer (a minimum of 100‘ to 200’ from the property perimeter).

No lighting will be higher than 18’ on pole mounted lights and no higher than 35’ on the buildings. There will be no lights directed to any adjacent properties and lights cannot exceed 0.5 foot-candles at the inside perimeter buffer. That being said, any interior lighting on the property might be seen from outside the property.

Power will be provided from the existing overhead transmission line at the northern end of the property.

The developer pays all design and construction costs for any necessary line extensions and substations to this project.

No. All costs for design and construction are paid by the developer, not Dominion Energy or Rappahannock Energy customers.

Yes. Construction will not occur until the power is secured for use.  Dominion Energy and PJM Interconnection (a regional transmission organization that manages the flow of electricity across the grid) are working to ensure future power will be available when it is needed.

While solar panels create electricity, they are not a reliable source of continuous power for a data center and require vast amounts of land that are not available. 

A traffic impact study was done by Timmons Group and reviewed by Hanover County and VDOT for its estimated impacts. With traffic signal timing adjustments at the Hylas intersection and turn lanes at the entrances, Ashland Road can handle the expected traffic from this project.

There will be more construction traffic than final traffic when the technology park is completed, but it is only temporary.

If construction requires large (wide-load) deliveries, they must adhere to oversized load regulations.

Based on the traffic impact study, signal timing adjustments to the Hylas intersection will be needed and turn lanes into the site on Ashland Road are needed.

No. Erosion and sediment controls will be enforced by Hanover County during construction.  All stormwater runoff will be treated in stormwater facilities in accordance with local, state and federal regulations.  Stormwater runoff standards are stricter today than developments built before 2012, including Wyndham and Hunting Hawk Golf Course.

The onsite generators are anticipated to run on diesel fuel and containment practices consistent with DEQ regulations will be followed.

A minimum of 40% of the site will be preserved with open space.  The Resource Protection Area (RPA) along the Chickahominy which borders Henrico and Hanover Counties will remain untouched and allow wildlife to continue to use it as a natural corridor.

Current real estate taxes paid on the combined properties are presently close to $5,000. At full buildout of the project, annual revenues to Hanover County could exceed $8,000,000 per year.

While no one can predict the future and every situation is different, recent studies have validated the fact that there is no connection to a decrease in property values when located near a data center:

September 2025:

https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/digital-insights-home-values-and 

August 2025:

https://cra.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NoVa_DataCenters.pdf

No, the final buildout year is simply an estimate of a sequence of construction and the length it could take to completion of the project.