Mayor Carter Nevill launched into a nearly eight-minute speech at a recent town council special meeting about the Amazon data center during which he defended the controversial project, the town council and staff — as well as the rigor of the town’s approval process.
Anyone who listened and watched the meeting, you could listen to Frank and see the town staff are working hard and fairly on this. I’m thankful to have such great staff working for us!
"Nevill said that years ago, residents objected to having mixed-use development on the property. And they didn’t want a Walmart due to the traffic. Instead, he said, they wanted 'light industrial.'
'Twenty years ago, 10 years ago, we heard that this is what you wanted. And now it came, and you don’t want it.'”
Am I wrong or were data centers excluded from the "light industrial" zoning designation until August 2021 (far more recently than 10 or 20 years ago) when the council voted to include them contingent upon approved Special Use Permits?
Data centers as a light industrial were discussed as early as 2009. In 2017 the first text amendment initiation was passed by council but never advanced. Fauquier economic development had been fielding interest in data centers since they first courted OVH. Which itself was seen as an economic development win for the county and our taxpayers.
Warrenton Resident: I own a TH in the Highlands neighborhood which is 900 ft. from the proposed data center. Just because I don't live in town, doesn't mean I don't have a vested interest in what happens here.
And remember, Amazon could have built a distribution center “by right.” Which would have had none of the conditions on noise, architecture, landscaping, etc that were applied to the data center.
It’s funny how people say it could have been mixed use occupancies and apartments and yet the exact same people here Warrenton Village. They are NIMBY’s through and through
Warrenton Resident: The proposal that Nina Weisburg put forward on the Amazon property was a mixed use residential/commercial development. It would have moved forward except for the recession that hit in 2008. The Warrenton Village proposal is all residential. Very different projects.
Warrenton village is to incorporate residential with the businesses already there to give it a mixed use feel. It’s adding much needed housing to our area WITHOUT sprawl that we both can agree is bad. Warrenton Village will look great and add something this town is lacking. For too long the NIMBYs have strangled us as a town. This is to end for Warrenton to not become a bedroom community with nothing to do.
So where do you live "Warrenton Resident"? I doubt you live anywhere near the proposed data center or this Warenton Village development. Guess you think Haymarket and Gainesville are epitome of smart planning. Worse thing for this town besides Brandi Schaeffer was the election and re-election of Mayor Neville.
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Anyone who listened and watched the meeting, you could listen to Frank and see the town staff are working hard and fairly on this. I’m thankful to have such great staff working for us!
"Nevill said that years ago, residents objected to having mixed-use development on the property. And they didn’t want a Walmart due to the traffic. Instead, he said, they wanted 'light industrial.'
'Twenty years ago, 10 years ago, we heard that this is what you wanted. And now it came, and you don’t want it.'”
Am I wrong or were data centers excluded from the "light industrial" zoning designation until August 2021 (far more recently than 10 or 20 years ago) when the council voted to include them contingent upon approved Special Use Permits?
Data centers as a light industrial were discussed as early as 2009. In 2017 the first text amendment initiation was passed by council but never advanced. Fauquier economic development had been fielding interest in data centers since they first courted OVH. Which itself was seen as an economic development win for the county and our taxpayers.
And… you don’t live in town. Stop telling us how to make our town nice.
Ugh I need to proofread better…
Denise you don’t live in town… stop telling how to make our town not nice
Warrenton Resident: I own a TH in the Highlands neighborhood which is 900 ft. from the proposed data center. Just because I don't live in town, doesn't mean I don't have a vested interest in what happens here.
And remember, Amazon could have built a distribution center “by right.” Which would have had none of the conditions on noise, architecture, landscaping, etc that were applied to the data center.
It’s funny how people say it could have been mixed use occupancies and apartments and yet the exact same people here Warrenton Village. They are NIMBY’s through and through
Warrenton Resident: The proposal that Nina Weisburg put forward on the Amazon property was a mixed use residential/commercial development. It would have moved forward except for the recession that hit in 2008. The Warrenton Village proposal is all residential. Very different projects.
Warrenton village is to incorporate residential with the businesses already there to give it a mixed use feel. It’s adding much needed housing to our area WITHOUT sprawl that we both can agree is bad. Warrenton Village will look great and add something this town is lacking. For too long the NIMBYs have strangled us as a town. This is to end for Warrenton to not become a bedroom community with nothing to do.
So where do you live "Warrenton Resident"? I doubt you live anywhere near the proposed data center or this Warenton Village development. Guess you think Haymarket and Gainesville are epitome of smart planning. Worse thing for this town besides Brandi Schaeffer was the election and re-election of Mayor Neville.
Anita I’m one of your neighbors. Right down the road from you 🫡
Sorry for the typo I meant to say:
the same people hate Warrenton Village.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.