Cullers Says She Remains Opposed to Data Centers in Warren County

South River District Supervisor Cheryl L. Cullers says she remains opposed to data centers in Warren County and would vote against them if the issue comes back before the Board of Supervisors.

In a statement sent by email and posted on Facebook, Cullers said she wanted to clarify her position after recent online discussion about the issue.

“When I was elected South River District Supervisor in 2019 for my first term, I made the decision and posted that I would not engage on Facebook in regards to official County business,” Cullers wrote.

Cullers said she does not plan to respond to Facebook comments about the statement. She directed residents with questions to contact her by email at ccullers@warrencountyva.gov.

The statement centers on Cullers’ position on data centers, an issue that has drawn renewed public attention in Warren County. Cullers pointed to the Jan. 3, 2023, Board of Supervisors meeting, where she said she spoke against allowing data centers by-right in Light Industrial zoning districts and made the motion to deny the agenda item.

During that meeting, Cullers said she had researched the issue and listened to residents in Warren County and in other communities with data centers.

“I’ve done a lot of research on these, listened to a lot of people in our community, people in other communities where there are data centers,” Cullers said at the Jan. 3, 2023, meeting. “I went down to the Manassas area and rode as close as I could to the data centers there. And then I went to Loudoun County.”

Cullers said that while data centers may bring financial benefits, she believed the cost to the county’s appearance and quality of life would be too high.

“I just don’t see, you know, maybe there’s some financial benefit, but to me personally, any financial benefit, the destruction to our county as far as the aesthetic beauty, the viewshed from the drive, just driving by on 66, depending on where one would want to go. These things are monstrosities,” Cullers said.

She also raised concerns about green space, water use, electric infrastructure, and the long-term impact of construction.

“I rode there and I thought, where did the children play down here? Where’s the green areas?” Cullers said. “Maybe they’ve got the amount of water that they take down over improvements. But still, the possibility of the drain on our water, on our electric infrastructure, and just the destruction, once you build it, it’s there. And I personally am against it.”

Cullers also referenced an interview with the Royal Examiner, saying she again spoke against data centers in Warren County during that interview. She encouraged residents to watch the Jan. 3, 2023, meeting video and the Royal Examiner interview. (See below).

Cullers said recent Facebook posts about her position are political in nature and are intended to raise questions about her honesty and integrity ahead of next year’s re-election cycle.

“I would challenge you to ask for proof of all the ‘lies’ I am accused of and see if you get the proof you seek,” Cullers wrote.

She said the videos she referenced show proof of her position. Cullers closed the statement by saying that, if data centers come before the Board of Supervisors again for a decision, she will vote no.

“On this issue, if data centers are brought before the Board of Supervisors again for a decision, I will vote no,” Cullers wrote.

Cullers: ‘Heck No’ to Data Centers, Yes to Smart Growth and Tourism in Warren County