FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – Franklin County residents are demanding more transparency from local leaders over a potential data center project known as “Project Flash,” though county officials say no formal plans have been presented or approved.
Concerns about possible data center development were raised during Tuesday night’s Franklin County Planning Commission meeting, where residents questioned what they say is a lack of information about future projects.
“As the people, we should have the right to know when they’re going to make these decisions,” said Danae Crosby, a Franklin County resident.
The questions center around Project Flash, a name mentioned in discussions about potential economic development. However, county leaders say they cannot provide details about the project.
When asked what Project Flash is, Franklin County Supervisor Tim Tatum said he could not disclose information.
Tatum confirmed the county has been contacted by data center companies but said no agreements have been reached and no votes have been taken regarding a data center development.
“Last year, we were contacted. There were some data center companies that built data centers. I think they bought some property or developed some property, I think it’s Smith County, but we were contacted last summer,” Tatum said.
One location drawing attention is Summit View Business Park near Rocky Mount. The site includes more than 150 acres of undeveloped land and is currently zoned in a way that could allow a data center to be built largely without a public hearing process.
Opponents say that designation does not provide enough public input or protections for residents.
“Families, students, church members, property owners and nearby residents deserve clearly established protections and enforcement standards before a project is considered,” said Lauren Walke, a Franklin County resident.
Residents are calling for changes to the county’s proposed zoning ordinance, including removing the “by-right” designation from Summit View Business Park. Doing so would require any potential data center project at the site to go through additional public hearings before moving forward.
Ron Hines, a Franklin County resident, said the current rules do not provide enough oversight.
“The current provision simply makes it too easy to avoid transparency in building facilities that will have a negative impact on natural resources and the local economy,” Hines said.
Some residents attended Tuesday’s meeting wearing red as a sign of opposition to potential data center development.
“How does this affect our generations to come? What about my kids?” one resident said during public comment. “We’re not going to see those repercussions. We’re not going to feel those. Our generations will” Crosby said.
According to Tatum, if a data center were to be built in Franklin County, it would be restricted to Summit View or unzoned areas in the county and wouldn’t be able to pull water from Smith Mountain Lake.
County officials have not announced any approved data center projects, and Tatum said no formal decisions have been made. He added he would oppose any projects of the kind in the county.
10 News has submitted multiple Freedom of Information Act requests seeking additional information about Project Flash and any potential data center proposals in Franklin County. The county has not provided any documents yet.