Bruce Rappaport Seeks Second Term, Calls for Smart Growth and Protection of Front Royal’s Character

Front Royal Town Councilman Bruce Rappaport says he wants growth that brings lasting jobs to the community without sacrificing the town’s character, water resources, or views of the surrounding Shenandoah Valley.

Rappaport, who is seeking a second term on Town Council, discussed data centers, water, development, and his vision for Front Royal during an interview at a Republican-endorsed candidates’ gathering at the gazebo in downtown Front Royal.

Rappaport said he believes data centers have a place in the modern economy, but not in Front Royal.

“I think data centers have a purpose,” Rappaport said. “I don’t really think they fit here in Front Royal proper, and that’s been my position from the very beginning.”

Rappaport grew up in Front Royal and has spent most of his life in the community. He also lived for a time in Prince William County, where the rapid growth of data centers gave him a close look at concerns surrounding the industry.

He pointed to noise, electricity demand and the visual impact of the infrastructure needed to support large facilities as reasons for his opposition.

Before council considered the issue, Rappaport said he took a hike along Skyline Drive to look down on the area and consider how major new electrical infrastructure could affect the view.

“I just couldn’t fathom the idea of 150-foot to 240-foot poles that would have to carry those 765,000-volt lines across our viewshed,” he said.

For a community where tourism is an important part of the economy, Rappaport said protecting those views should be part of development decisions.

Jobs at the Avtex Property

Rappaport also questioned whether a data center would be the best use for the former Avtex site.

After decades of cleanup and redevelopment restrictions, he said the community should carefully consider what types of businesses belong there.

He prefers light manufacturing and assembly operations that can provide a range of jobs for local residents.

“I like the idea of light manufacturing, assembly, bringing jobs,” Rappaport said.

Such an operation, he said, could create positions in quality control, receiving, shipping, and assembly.

The distinction matters to him because data centers can create significant construction jobs while they are being built, but he questions how many permanent local jobs they would provide afterward.

Rappaport said he would rather see employers offering careers that Front Royal residents can build their lives around.

Data Centers, Noise and Zoning

Rappaport said council also has to consider what would happen if data centers were permitted under existing zoning rules.

His concerns include building heights, setbacks, and noise.

He said a 200-foot separation between a data center and nearby residential property would not be enough for him.

“I wouldn’t be comfortable with 200 feet,” he said. “I would want something like anywhere between 500 and 1,000 feet.”

Rappaport also said noise standards would have to be strict enough to protect nearby homes, schools, and daycare facilities.

Cooling systems are another concern.

Rappaport noted that some newer data centers use systems that reduce water consumption, but said alternatives involving glycol raise different questions about handling and environmental protection.

Taken together, Rappaport said the issues reinforce his conclusion that data centers are not the type of development Front Royal needs.

“I think we’re going in the right direction,” he said. “I don’t think that data centers bring exactly what we need here.”

Search for a Secondary Water Source

Water may be an even bigger long-term issue.

Rappaport said recurring dry conditions show why Front Royal needs a secondary water source instead of relying solely on its existing system.

“We need a secondary source, and we are looking at that right now,” he said.

According to Rappaport, a consultant in Blacksburg, the town is examining options ranging from wells to quarries.

Using a quarry as a source could offer advantages, he said, but would also create infrastructure challenges.

Water from such a source would have to be treated. Depending on the location, Rappaport said it might not make financial sense to pipe untreated water several miles to the town’s existing treatment facility on Aqueduct Road.

One possibility, he said, could involve treating water closer to its source and then moving it into the town’s storage and distribution system.

Rappaport also encouraged residents to conserve water during periods when the town faces shortages or restrictions.

The search for another source, however, is about more than getting through the current dry period. It is part of preparing Front Royal for future development.

‘I Want Smart Growth’

That leads to what Rappaport described as one of his broader goals for another term.

He wants Front Royal to grow, but he does not want development to overwhelm the characteristics that separate the town from more densely developed communities closer to Washington.

“I’m interested in maintaining the small-town charm that we have here,” Rappaport said. “I’m not really interested in high density. I want smart growth.”

He said he does not oppose development itself.

“I want growth, but I don’t want uncontrollable growth,” Rappaport said.

He specifically pointed to places such as Manassas Park and Dale City as examples of the kind of density he does not want Front Royal to become.

Rappaport said he also wants the town to do what it can to limit the effects of high-density development in areas currently zoned R-1.

His approach ties together many of the issues facing council: where development occurs, what types of businesses the town attracts, whether enough water will be available and what Front Royal will look like as it grows.

For Rappaport, attracting development is not enough. The question is whether that development fits the community.

After winning a council seat following earlier attempts at elected office, Rappaport is now asking voters for another term to continue that work.

He said his goal remains straightforward: protect Front Royal’s small-town character while preparing it for the future.

“I want smart growth,” Rappaport said, “but I don’t want uncontrollable growth.”

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