This text was taken from an email alert sent out on September 30, 2025. Sign up for email alerts →
Dear Supporter,
Summer’s been busy in Orange, with even more to come this fall. Read on for updates about Wilderness Crossing, proposed changes to the county’s zoning ordinance, an upcoming public hearing on PFAS “forever chemicals”, and a reboot of the Town of Orange’s comprehensive plan.
All of this work, and our success in it, depends on your engagement and action on important issues like these. For instance, the public hearing on PFAS is a direct result of Orange County residents asking for one, demonstrating the power of community engagement and action. So, thank you!
We are grateful for the generous financial support of so many, which makes it possible for PEC to have staff working on the ground, directly with the people of our communities. Please consider making a donation or becoming a PEC Member.
Judge Rules Wilderness Crossing Lawsuit Can Proceed
We are thrilled to report that, after the Orange County government and Wilderness Crossing’s would-be developers tried to throw out a lawsuit about the manner in which the massive rezoning was approved, the lawsuit will proceed! The Orange County circuit court decided to partially deny the county and developer’s motion to dismiss. The lawsuit is now expected to proceed to trial in the coming months.
We join the American Battlefield Trust and other partners — who work tirelessly to protect Virginia’s historic resources and scenic landscapes — in celebrating this long-awaited decision. While not a party to the lawsuit, PEC supported American Battlefield Trust and the other plaintiffs by filing an amicus brief in the case.
The proposed 2,600-acre Wilderness Crossing development is massive: 5,000 car-dependent, single-family homes, 800 acres of commercial use, and 732 acres of data centers that could be approved “by-right,” meaning without any input from community members or elected officials. Statewide, community sentiment is shifting against large-scale developments like Wilderness Crossing and data centers in particular, as a fuller picture of their impacts becomes better known.
Zoning Ordinance Changes Coming
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is considering major zoning ordinance changes that would create new districts for rural services and technology and split up the agricultural district. These changes could greatly impact the community, so we urge you to attend the upcoming work sessions, usually held every other Tuesday, to keep up to date. The Board is discussing changes to the agricultural district soon.
Work sessions thus far have focused on Rural Service and Technology districts:
Rural Service
This district is intended to accommodate small-scale, locally-owned businesses, such as gas stations, general stores, veterinary clinics, etc., that serve day-to-day needs of nearby rural-area residents, without altering the rural character of the surrounding area.
Such a district could help foster a sense of community by facilitating “third places” where people come together, such as restaurants, stores and parks, but we want to ensure the Rural Service districts are created with standards in place that prevent them from contributing to sprawl. We will listen for meaningful performance standards and some Special Use Permit requirements to ensure development fits into its surroundings. We will also encourage limiting Rural Service districts to areas in/adjacent to existing crossroads, villages and hamlets.
Technology
This district is intended to accommodate data centers in Orange County. While it’s important that the zoning ordinance address data centers, given the adverse impacts of data centers and the rapidly evolving nature of the technology. PEC wants to ensure any new zoning includes transparency and responsible regulations that require public hearings for larger data centers that consume high amounts of energy and can necessitate new transmission lines and high consumption of water.
The county should prioritize protection of public health, safety, and welfare as it considers a Technology district, by requiring:
- Strong performance standards, including noise abatement and restrictions on use of potable water, among other considerations;
- Special Use Permits for all data center applications;
- Technology districts to be located on specific, identified parcels that are both in close proximity to existing transmission lines and removed from residential areas; and
- Special Use Permits for all electrical substation development, whether or not they are tied to data centers.
Oct. 23: PFAS-contaminated Biosolids Public Hearing
Your action made a difference! Thanks to those of you who shared your concerns about PFAS-contaminated biosolids with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), there will now be a public hearing Thursday, Oct. 23. PEC will be there, not to discourage the use of all biosolids, but to urge DEQ to take action regarding the continued use of biosolids known to be contaminated by PFAS on Orange County farmland, because of the unacceptable level of risk to human health.
As we said in July, Synagro — America’s largest biosolids land-application company — is seeking a permit to apply onto Orange County farmland biosolids sourced from waste water treatment plants in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. known to be contaminated with PFAS, also called “forever chemicals.” We want DEQ to address, and test for, the presence of PFAS in biosolids and to give farmers complete information about what’s being spread on their land.
Town of Orange Seeking Community Input on Comprehensive Plan
After a year-long pause, the Town of Orange is once again seeking input from residents on the update to its Comprehensive Plan – a critically important document that should reflect the community’s vision for the future of Orange. The Planning Commission will hold a series of community meetings, October 2, 9, 16, and 23, to field input. Your town water bill should include an announcement and a community survey.
Comprehensive plans set the framework for how land is used, identify needed improvements to public facilities and programs, and guide policy priorities and decisions around growth and development for the next 5-20 years. If you have ideas about making Orange an even better place to live, make a plan to attend an upcoming meeting.
Gordonsville Pool Opens at Verling Park
On Aug. 2, the long-awaited, newly-renovated Gordonsville community pool opened, just in time for residents to enjoy a respite from the summer heat. The pool opening is a major milestone in a 10-year effort to expand Gordonsville’s town park. With assistance from community members and a grant from Virginia Outdoors Foundation, PEC secured funds to buy and donate two parcels that allowed the county to expand the community park by connecting Verling Park and Fireman’s Fairgrounds, resulting in nearly 10 acres of outdoor event and recreation space in the heart of the community. The planning and development of the expanded park is ongoing.
Feel free to email or call me if you have any questions or comments. And if you know anyone who would like to receive these email updates about Orange County, please forward this email to them and let them know they can sign up for updates here.
Thank you,
Don McCown
Land Use Field Representative, Orange & Madison counties
[email protected]
(434) 977-2033 x7047