Community members in Stokes County are pushing back against a proposal to build a large data center on rural land along the Dan River.
Charlotte-based developer ELS is seeking to rezone about 1,800 acres in Walnut Cove to make way for the project. The idea is creating an uproar among residents.
“It seems like these big companies just want to come to little old Walnut Cove or little towns like us throughout the United States and dump their stuff on us,” said Bill Petree, a third-generation Walnut Cove business owner.
Petree has helped gather thousands of signatures on a petition opposing the rezoning. He’s concerned about how the project could impact the area’s character and local resources.
“It would extract an excessive amount of water and electricity,” he said. “Really, this area doesn’t have that availability.”
Residents have also raised concerns about the historical and cultural significance of the land. The property was once home to the indigenous Saura People. It later became the site of a plantation where enslaved people worked and are buried.
In a statement, an ELS official said the project could bring significant economic benefits to the area and that the company is incorporating community feedback into its plans.
The Stokes County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the rezoning proposal on Monday at 6 p.m.