Facts, Opinions, and Conjecture

At the July 8 Warren County Planning Commission meeting, a large crowd opposed the proposed data center amendment. Speakers also raised concerns about possible effects on water use, noise, rural character, tourism, and the overall quality of life in Warren County.

Public comment at government meetings is a constitutional right, and I support every person’s right to express an opinion. At the same time, public decisions should be based on facts, reliable information, and a fair review of the proposal.

I support the proposed data center project if the information presented is accurate and all requirements are met.

Most comments at the July 8 meeting were negative. Several speakers who had moved to Warren County from areas with data centers compared those communities to Warren County and argued against allowing similar development here.

In my opinion, one data center will not destroy a community. Predictions that Warren County’s quality of life will be ruined by the possible construction of more data centers amount to conjecture unless they are supported by evidence.

Government officials have the authority and responsibility to act proactively. They can protect citizens and natural resources while monitoring and regulating industries that seek to operate in Warren County. That is part of the job voters expect them to do.

The Town of Front Royal has stated that the proposed facility’s expected water use would not exceed 3,000 gallons per day. That is less than the daily water use of some other facilities already operating in Warren County.

Noise impacts cannot be fully judged until the details of the facility and its equipment are known. The proposed property is also located in an industrial area, away from residential development.

The project would be located within a commercial, industrial, and manufacturing district. Given that location, I do not believe that one facility would diminish Warren County’s rural character.

I am also not aware of any official study showing that industrial or commercial development limited to the industrial corridor would harm the county’s tourism industry or its largely rural identity.

Prince William County has a high concentration of data centers, yet tourism remains strong. Visitors reportedly spent $500.11 million there in 2024. The county also continued to grow, with 2,589 housing units built in 2025. Data center tax revenue in Prince William County totaled $280.4 million in 2024.

Loudoun County also has many data centers. Tourism spending there reached $4.9 billion in 2024, and 2,428 new homes were built in 2025. Data center tax revenue in Loudoun County totaled $875 million in 2024.

Those figures do not prove that data centers have no effects. They do show, however, that communities with data centers can continue to attract visitors, build homes and generate substantial public revenue.

It was estimated that about 150 people attended the July 8 Planning Commission meeting and that at least 109 spoke against the proposed data center.

Those voices deserve to be heard. However, a public hearing is not the same as a countywide vote, and the people who attend one meeting do not necessarily represent the views of every resident.

Information and data are only as useful as the quality of their sources. Sound public decisions require complete and reliable information. Poor information can lead to poor decisions.

If Warren County officials determine that future needs for fire protection, public safety, education and other services can be met without additional tax revenue, and that the proposed data center’s projected $2.4 million in revenue is unnecessary, they should vote accordingly.

If additional revenue is needed, the project’s approval should be seriously considered.

John Jenkins
South River
Warren County, VA

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