This text was taken from an email alert sent out on April 2, 2026. Sign up for email alerts →
Dear Supporter,
Welcome to April! I am writing to inform you of two important issues.
First, the Town of Culpeper is once again trying to fast-track its controversial data centers with a new code amendment that will allow land clearing to begin before site plan approval.
Second, despite strong opposition and the Culpeper Planning Commission’s recommendation to deny, Strata Energy is determined to bring Maroon Solar before the Board of Supervisors for a final vote on its conditional use permit (CUP) Tuesday, April 7. We thank everyone who came to the Planning Commission Hearing March 11 – voicing your well-founded concerns made a difference, and your voice is needed as much now as it was then!
→ In case you missed it: On March 19, the Culpeper Citizen Information Network held a riveting (seriously) discussion, with PEC’s Senior Advisor & Director of Strategic Partnerships, John McCarthy, presenting on how county budgets are drafted. If you missed the event, you can find the recording here!
Town Continues to Fast-Track Data Centers
The Town of Culpeper wants to loosen construction regulations with a proposed change to the town code that will allow the two data center campuses within its jurisdiction – Copper Ridge and the Culpeper Technology Campus (both owned by STACK Infrastructure) – to break ground faster. The proposed change is putting the cart before the horse and would allow STACK to begin clearing and grading before the site plan for either campus is approved.
While the developer would still need to obtain grading and clearing permits from the town, adopting this change would leave the town vulnerable to developers attempting to leverage unsightly cleared sites to win further concessions and to the risk of disturbed land remaining vacant for long periods of time due to shifts in the market.
Tell the Town Council to Oppose this Change
Please urge council members to oppose this amendment. You can send an email to the Town Council and/or speak during the public forum on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. (County Administration Building, 302 North Main Street, Culpeper).
Unfortunately, there will be no public hearing, so we need as many community members as possible to speak during the public forum at the beginning of the Town Council meeting. Comments are limited to three minutes.
Sign up to speak ahead of the meeting here →
Why Changing the Code is a Bad Idea
Currently, the town code requires all new developments, including residential, to have an approved site plan before the early clearing and grading permits can be granted and earth moving can begin. These checks and balances exist to protect the town and its residents from poorly planned developments.
Though other localities, such as Prince William County, allow grading to occur before site plans are approved, PEC does not agree with this practice, in part, because it gives developers more leverage when asking for substantial changes to site plans – it’s harder to fight to protect a site that has already been razed to the ground. We’ve seen this in nearby Fauquier, where the developers of the Remington Tech Park are now asking to add a gas plant to its data center campus after construction has already begun. Allowing the moving of earth to occur before the site plan is approved could also lead to cleared land sitting vacant for long periods of time if the developer fails to obtain site plan approval or the market for the development collapses.
STACK Infrastructure, which owns 272 acres of data center land on McDevitt Drive, has been attempting to gain site plan approval for one of its two data centers, the Culpeper Technology Campus, for well over a year. STACK Infrastructure has failed to receive site plan approval, either due to design reasons – such as in late 2025 when a submission (that was denied) placed the generator bays facing the adjacent Madison Station Townhomes, potentially exposing the community to higher levels of noise and emissions from the diesel generators – or for more administrative issues like ensuring all plats and bonding are properly documented.
The proposed code change would allow STACK and other large developers to begin clearing and grading before the campus’s site plan is approved, and allow STACK to begin moving dirt on the adjacent Copper Ridge site, for which a site plan has yet to be accepted by the planning department (two were rejected this year for failure to comply with conditions agreed to during the rezoning).
We don’t think the town has properly considered the short- and long-term implications of the proposed code change, which would also impact other types of development, including residential.
It’s high time the Town stops bending over backwards to make things easier for controversial data centers.
These processes exist to protect existing residents and businesses from the negative impacts of new development. We are seeing many important protections – from clean air to nuclear – eroded to allow one of the wealthiest industries in the world to build faster. It’s time for Culpeper to start fighting to protect the residents and businesses that make it a special place, not profiteering data centers.
Maroon Solar Proposal Heads to the Board of Supervisors – Share Your Concerns Now!
On March 11, the Culpeper County Planning Commission voted almost unanimously (one abstention) to recommend denial once again of the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the Maroon Solar project, proposed by Strata Energy. The reasons for its repeated denial are clear; yet, despite this strong rebuke, Strata Energy has opted to proceed to the Board of Supervisors for a final vote on the 65-megawatt (MW) project in Stevensburg.
The Board has the option to disregard the Planning Commission’s recommendation; however, in this case we are asking them to follow the Planning Commission’s well-founded decision and deny this project for a fourth time.
Tell the Board to Reject the Maroon Solar Project
We encourage you to write to the Board and, if you can, come to the hearing and provide verbal comments.
When: Tuesday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: County Administration Building, 302 North Main Street, Culpeper
Why Deny a Renewable Energy Alternative?
PEC is a supporter of solar energy, including properly-sited utility-scale solar. One thing we can agree with Strata Energy on is that Virginia needs more electricity, and solar energy is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to build capacity. However, as with housing, not every piece of land is appropriate for this use.
- The Maroon Solar site contains heavy clay soils and shallow bedrock; something Strata Energy cannot change. The local “blackjack” soils are notorious for being both highly erodible and difficult to build on, part of the reason this corner of Stevensburg remains very rural.
- Even though this site lacks development potential, it does have a high environmental value. The qualities that make it a poor choice for development are the same qualities known to foster rare native plants, like the Downy Phlox, and rare plant communities, like the Piedmont Mafic Barren. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has flagged both as likely to exist on the Maroon Solar site.
- While representatives for Strata Energy have said they will avoid any instances of these plants, they have not included any promise to do so in the official documentation of conditions for this approval, and protection is not guaranteed by state law.
- Representatives of Strata have been quick to emphasize the company is turning over a new leaf, which is clearly needed based on its poor track record. Unfortunately, as with previous projects, the lack of meaningful outreach to those most likely to be impacted by the project or improvements based on community feedback make it clear that Strata has not changed its ways.
- Maroon Solar has been denied three times over the past decade, each time for the same reason: This site is not appropriate for utility-scale solar. Although we have tried to remain neutral, PEC cannot support this project, not only because of the delicate nature of the site, but also because the developer, Strata Energy, has a lengthy history of serious erosion and sediment issues.
Ask the Board to Reject this Proposal
Our pre-written letter template can be easily customized to include your personal stories and impacts, which carry more weight with the Board. It takes just a few moments, but can have a big impact.
We hope that a strong denial by the Board, based on the recommendation of the Planning Commission, will make Strata Energy reconsider why it is determined to force this project on a site that is not suitable for solar and not supported by the community. ties.
Thanks for staying engaged on these important issues in the community. Please email me with any questions.
Sincerely,
Sarah Parmelee
Land Use Field Representative
Culpeper County
[email protected]
(540) 347-2334 ext. 7045
