Preserve Warren County: Standing for Our Land, Our Voice, Our Future

Preserve Warren County is a group of concerned citizens united for the betterment of our community and working to create a place where every resident is heard, respected, and represented. We stand firmly against any action that threatens our environment, our people, or the future we want for our children.

Preserve Warren County is adamantly opposed to the sale of the 113-acre parcel at the former Avtex property to a developer whose primary business is building data centers. The Front Royal Warren County Economic Development Authority (EDA) approved the sale of that property without a thought or a care for how this could benefit or harm the citizens of Warren County. Did they undervalue this property? Since they have already entered a contract with a data center developer, let’s entertain some numbers. Recent sales in Northern Virginia of 97 acres to data center developers were sold for $200 million, and Raw land could be valued at $31 million. Were the citizens of Warren County shortchanged in this sale? 

Perhaps most troubling, the decision was made without consulting taxpayers. There was no town hall, no open dialogue, no visioning process to ask: What could this land become for the people of Warren County? Instead, the EDA chose a path behind closed doors, depriving residents of a voice in deciding how this valuable property could best serve our economy and community.

Now we are left with questions and uncertainty:

• How long will this land sit empty?
• Will anything ever be built?
• And if something is, will it truly benefit the citizens? Or just outside investors?

As we have seen in the past, there is a looming issue with this sale: whether anything will actually be built. Is it possible the buyers saw a cheap investment in which they could get this land approved for data center use and then sell it to another investor for the possible $200 million?

Preserve Warren County believes decisions like these must involve the citizens they affect. We call for transparency, accountability, and a genuine vision for the county’s economic future — one that supports sustainable growth, protects our natural resources, and uplifts all who call Warren County home.

Together, we can ensure that Warren County’s future is guided not by outside interests, but by the people who live, work, and care for this community every day.

The concerned citizens of Preserve Warren County.

Sara Jones
Vice Chair of Preserve Warren County
Warren County, VA

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