Update Jan. 3, 2023: Great news! The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to remove the Brandy Station Technology Zone from the Technology Zone Ordinance. We are deeply grateful for the residents of Brandy Station who took the time to speak at the hearing. It is through their continued efforts that the value of Brandy Station as a community is being recognized and respected. We will continue to push for the protection of Brandy Station in the 2023 Comprehensive Plan, but the removal of the Technology Zone is a significant victory.
This text was taken from an email alert sent out on December 29, 2022. Sign up for email alerts →
Dear Supporter,
The battle for the future of Brandy Station has reached a critical stage. Earlier this year, the community of Brandy Station defended itself against the proposed AttoTek data center within the Brandy Station Technology Zone, but the fight is not over yet.
As you might recall, the Brandy Station Technology Zone is an outdated tax incentive that encourages industrial development such as data centers in Brandy Station, a small community that has significant agricultural and historic resources and lacks the infrastructure to support such industry.
The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing regarding the potential removal of Brandy Station from the Technology Zone Ordinance at 7 p.m. on January 3, 2023. Removing the tax incentive would send a clear message to potential developers that Brandy Station has more value as a historic farming community than as a data center campus, a message that is further strengthened by several key updates to the current draft of the Comprehensive Plan.
However, there’s no guarantee how the Board of Supervisors will vote, so it’s important that people show up to speak in support of Brandy Station and its removal from the Technology Zone Ordinance.
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing
Tuesday, Jan. 3 @ 7 p.m.
Board of Supervisors Meeting Room
302 North Main St., Culpeper, VA 22701
If you’re unable to attend the public hearing, I encourage you to submit comments to the Board using their online form or by reaching out directly to your District Supervisor.
Why This Matters
Brandy Station is an area of historic and agricultural significance. It is a gateway to the county and the home of many people who want to see its rural lands protected. Brandy Station is part of the federally recognized Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area and National Scenic Byway system. lt is also the future home of the new Culpeper Battlefields State Park which has the potential to bring additional revenue to Culpeper County without sacrificing the character of the area.
Most importantly, Brandy Station lacks key infrastructure necessary for the development of a data center campus, such as was proposed by AttoTek, Inc. in the fall of 2022. The construction of any data center campus in Brandy Station would require the construction of a new transmission line through 2-5 miles of private land, trampling on the rights of private landowners far removed from the data center and raising costs for all electric ratepayers. Despite previous claims by AttoTek that they have agreements with private landowners to allow for this transmission line, they in fact have no say-so in where the line goes.
The removal of the Brandy Station Technology Zone would not prevent AttoTek from applying for a rezoning or special use permit to build data centers on their property, but it would send a strong message that Culpeper County does not want to encourage data centers in inappropriate locations that would do significant damage to important communities and resources.
I hope to see you at the public hearing on January 3. If you need any further information to make comments, please reach out.
Sincerely,
Sarah Parmelee
Culpeper County Field Representative
sparmelee@pecva.org
(540) 347-2334 x7045