Limiting vs. concentrating? Residents angry proposed data industry regulation would put all future centers in their community
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Henrico County leaders are considering limiting where data centers can go up in the county. However, some community members fear their proposed regulations are not actually about scaling back the booming industry.
Planning leaders will discuss an ordinance that ensures future data centers can only go up in certain parts of Varina. While this proposal may come across as a way to minimize regulate the industry, Varina residents clarified that, if you read between the lines, it’s really just concentrating it all in one place.
8News met with Varina resident Gray Montrose ahead of Thursday’s meeting.
“The benefits get shared — the burdens are localized in Varina,” Montrose said.
Montrose has always had affection for her community, however, ever since the data center sector started booming in Henrico, she mentioned that her opinions regarding local government officials have changed.
[The community members] felt deceived,” Montrose stated. “We believed we were misled.
This change occurred as she and her community observed continuous approval of major industrial initiatives being directed right into their countryside area.
Currently, Henrico County officials are deliberating over ways to manage the rapidly expanding data center sector. The regulation framework they have suggested would limit further development exclusively within Varina’s White Oak Technology Park region.
When they suggest, ‘Restrict data centers to the White Oak area,’ what they really mean is that data centers should be located solely in Varina,” Montrose clarified. “They won’t be placed in Short Pump. They also won’t be situated in River Mill.
As per the suggested code modification, constructing a facility elsewhere in the county would necessitate obtaining special permits.
“I hope the Board of Supervisors acknowledges their stance, which forces only the residents of Varina to bear the brunt of public health concerns, burdens, and environmental contamination from an industry that generates profits for the entire county,” Montrose stated.
In May 2024, the county gave approval for a 622-acre data center project close to Technology Boulevard. Following this decision, the sector has kept generating significant revenue—enhancing the economic situation of Henrico County.
Leaders frequently detai the millions of dollars the industry has secured for critical projects across the county including expanding access to affordable housing, further developing Henrico’s sports tourism industry and more.
Montrose, however, expressed that she feels her home holds greater significance beyond mere monetary value.
“That’s not why we’re here,” Montrose said. “That’s not who we are. We’re not about money. We’re about a great community where people feel safe, where they can breathe clean air and drink clean water. We are a community that cares about the people who live here, not the people that want to extract money from us.”
Henrico’s planning team told 8News they were not available ahead of Thursday’s meeting for an interview. A representative for Henrico County Board of Supervisor’s Varina District representative Tyrone Nelson said he would be happy to speak with 8News following the meeting.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story continues to unfold.
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